LiNk In ThE cHaIn
by StArRy1233
Summary: life is like a chain. One broken link and the whole chain will fall.. OC
1. who am I

Note- this is just the intro! The story will be in the next chapter.  
  
Sometimes late at night, long after the others have gone to sleep, I like to sit in the dark. I lean against the wall near my window and remember back, back before that fateful day. The day everything I had ever know was upturned by the unbelievable. Back when I could walk down streets with out being noticed.  
  
When my best friend and I prowled our high school, hoping for an opportunity to cause trouble. When the biggest of my worries was if the dumb fuck principal was going to call mom about four foot inflatable penis my friends and I hung up in the cafeteria. But nothing can last forever. It can't. There is only one moment in time and that is eternity.  
  
The second something happens, its over, never to happen again. A priceless second that can never be retrieved. Some people waste all there life waiting for something to happen, then when the moment comes, its always ends. Always.  
  
So what's the point? Why sit in a dark movie theater and wait for a movie? It will just end in a few hours. Why wait for midnight on New Years Eve? It only last for 60 seconds that immediately go to the past. 60 seconds the world will never see again. Your life is like a clock. Continuously counting down the seconds of your life. And there is nothing you can do to stop it.  
  
You can ignore it. You could get a face-lift. You could eat one of those little Flintstone vitamins with breakfast every morning. But no matter what you do, time WILL catch up to you.  
  
So what's the point of life? It's like the movie your waiting for. You could wait for months for it to come out, and then it's all over. Then you can never see it for the first time again. It's in the past.  
  
This rule of time applies to more than three billion humans on this earth. In one hundred years no one will remember your name.  
  
No one will care that you were humiliated in the halls of school. No one will care who you went with to prom, or your date just ripped your heart out by a last minute cancellation. Your life doesn't matter to anyone after your dead. So many people just live and die.  
  
But there is always an exception. Time is a delicate thing, but it can be tampered with, that's what I learned a couple months ago, although it was about one hundred and fifty years ago for the rest of the world. That was the day my life changed forever. I was visited by the children of the future.  
  
I try not to think of everything I had to leave behind to be sitting here right now. But I did. I fooled logic. I fooled time. Now, nothing seems impossible to me. I am still amazed by this new world of strange things. I share a home with two alien girls, a man half made of metal, and a small green boy.  
  
Life is funny.  
  
I open by metallic blue eyes and smooth back my platinum blond hair. I sigh and climb back into bed and fall into a dreamless sleep.  
  
StArRy- Yayyyyyyy! Really short chapter! This is just an introduction to any of you lovely people who have not read my other to stories.  
  
This is my third story about my original character Naomi; other than Naomi and Ice, I own nothing.  
  
If you haven't read ThE BrIdGe (1) or ChArMeD (2) life then you might want to click on my name up top there and read them real fast. They're kind of long but everyone whose read them liked them. Kinda creepy chapter but the rest of the story will be funnier and some drama.  
  
Well, read on brave soles! 


	2. Sugar rush

"And so then," I said rolling my eyes, "Beastboy said something about having the attention span of a gold fish. Then he turned into one and flopped around on the table, right? So when he turned back he was all, 'Woh... what?' He actually forgot what we were doing in his three seconds as a fish."  
  
Raven shook her head, "Idiot."  
  
I smiled, it had only been a couple of weeks but Beastboy and I had finally gotten over the awkwardness of finally dating and were starting to act like a normal couple. Well, as normal as earthly possible for a girl who could control elements and a green boy who could flop around like a fish at will. Not that he doesn't when he is in human form.  
  
I leaned back in the midnight blue soft chair and took a small bite from my gooey cinnamon bun. I brushed off the crumbs off my short white skirt and halve cape.  
  
We were at Ravens favorite place in the world, which also happened to be the most depressing place in the world, The Gothic. A small café in downtown Gothem where all sorts of depressed people come and share dark poetry on a dimly lit stage.  
  
I looked up to the stage and saw a boy reading his poetry of suicide. Raven took up interest and watched the boy intently. I popped the last bit of cinnamon roll in my mouth and decide that since my food was gone that means its time to go, but Raven didn't seem to want to go.  
  
I patiently sat back down and waited until the boy was done with his poem. I waved my hand in front of Ravens face.  
  
"Raven? Sorry to interrupt but I do believe we are on a very tight schedule. Remember?" I grinned evilly, thinking about what was waiting for us when we returned to the tower.  
  
"Oh, I can't wait." Ravens voice dripped with sarcasm.  
  
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We the Titans are not allowed to attend schools with the other teens of Gothem. It is way to dangerous for our fellow peers. If Slade were to attack the school in attempt to get to us... that would be so very, very bad. But the Mayor insisted that we receive some sort of education.  
  
We usually are just given a text book are supposed and study from it every night, supposed being the key word for me, and twice a year who take a standard final just like other teens.  
  
We unfortunate have a very grumpy lady who comes to authorize our test. But for our biology unit the school board thought we should have a more "hands on" experience, an experience that involved dead frogs.  
  
"I thought you would be against frog dissection," Robin said to Beastboy as we filed in to the lab.  
  
"Nah, I just hate eating them, you know? But this... this is in the name of science!" He punched the air at his last word.  
  
"Yeah whatever, you just want to throw the dead frog at Raven," I grinned knowingly.  
  
"Hey! Naomi shhh! Don't give away my top secret intendments!" I smiled and we linked out pinkies as we made out way to one of the three tables. I sat down next to Beastboy and Robin and Starfire paired up.  
  
Cyborg had no other choice but Raven now. Raven had her arms crossed as she looked down at the three trays of dead frogs.  
  
"I'm not touching them," she stated. Cyborg was about to argue with her but then the test ladies voice cracked like a whip. A very cranky old whip that doesn't like children and has to authorize a dissection.  
  
"Sit down!" Raven glared daggers at her and looked like she was going to argue with her, but Robin shook his head at her. She caused a couple of beakers and a test tube to explode to she her spirit was not broken and took her set next to Cyborg.  
  
"Today, you will be taken through a step by step frog dissection," She said as her beady little eyes narrowed down at me, "And there will be no mischief."  
  
Why the hell is she looking at me? I haven't done anything yet! But there are some many opportunities at hand...  
  
"You may collect your frogs." She said gesturing to three trays. Sweet! I jumped up and grabbed the one with the biggest froggy. I brought it back and presented it to Beastboy who now looked a little concerned for the frog.  
  
"Was it dead when they got it? Or did they kill it?" I shrugged and poked the limp frog with my finger.  
  
"Is it dead?" I asked jokingly.  
  
"No! Its just sleeping Naomi!" Beastboy grinned. I reached out for the frog and Beastboy's expression changed.  
  
"No, Naomi please.." But it was too late. I picked up the frog with my bare hands.  
  
"Look BB! It's saluting you!"  
  
"Put the frog down!" I looked up to the test lady.  
  
"Ok..." I gently put the frog I decided to name Gilbert back in his tray.  
  
"Poor Gilbert."  
  
"Whose Gilbert?"  
  
"The frog we're about to mutilate." She narrowed her eyes until they were tiny slits, but walked back to the front of the lab where there was a huge poster of the belly of a frog.  
  
"Ok ladies and gentlemen take our razor blades and make three shallow incisions here, here, and here." She took a black marker and made three black lines on the poster frog's stomach. Beastboy frowned as I made the cuts.  
  
"I don't think I like this anymore. I've been a frog ya know..." I peeled back the skin and pinned it to the soft part of the bottom of the tray.  
  
"If you don't feel comfortable, you can leave, it totally fine."  
  
"No no, I'm not saying that... it's just-"  
  
"As you can see, the liver takes up a majority of the frogs body, now cut the small strand of flesh that attaches it to the rest of the body."  
  
Raven made Cyborg do all the work and Starfire squirmed a bit as Robin cut out the liver.  
  
"I do not understand why I must be forced to partake in this activity. Why can I not just experience the computer generated frog dissection? I am certain I will be just as effective."  
  
"Come on Star," Robin said as he placed the liver beside his frog, "You're getting to learn about Earth animals. Isn't that fun?" Star made a face that suggested that it wasn't fun. I looked down to my frog. This could prove to be useful...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Naomi, I can't believe you kept the frog organs," Robin said as I labeled the plastic baggie Frog Organs.  
  
"Why wouldn't I? I might need them later."  
  
"I am almost scared to ask why."  
  
"Well, I don't know, but I'm sure I'll think of something."  
  
"I'm sure you will." He shook his head but smiled.  
  
"Isn't it weird that some frogs can change their gender at will?" I said to no one in particular as I shut the bag in the lab freezer.  
  
"It is not considered strange on my plant," Star said as she washed her hands in the lab sink,  
  
"On my planet it is quite common for organisms to be male and female. Some are male, female and kcate at the same time."  
  
"Uhuh," I said pretending to know what she was saying.  
  
"Hey, maybe we can do a crustation dissection next time," Cyborg said grinning at me ominously, "We can just Crusty as a specimen."  
  
I gasped. Crusty is my pet lobster I had saved for a Chinese's restraunt that wanted to eat him. I wrenched open the freezer and pulled out my bag and threw a frog liver at him and it hit him squarely in the face.  
  
"And that is why I saved them," I calmly told Robin while Cyborg face suggested that he dearly longed to rip my face off at this point in time.  
  
"Hey whose hungry?" Asked Beastboy hopping to distract Cyborg form killing me, which made me feel all happy inside.  
  
"You I suppose," I said sitting down next to him.  
  
"Yup, no way of working up an appetite like looking at frog guts."  
  
"Excuse me, did you not learn anything?" I asked in a creaky voice, mocking the test lady, "The correct term is intestine."  
  
"Um, Naomi?" Robin was trying not to laugh. "You might want to wait for her to leave the room before you make fun of her." The test ladies lips were in a firm line.  
  
"Ha... just kidding." I said lamely as she walked out the door, mumbling about children these days.  
  
"So... what's for dinner?"  
  
"Oh I have an idea in my brain! I wish to consume American food."  
  
"Star, we are in America, you don't have to call it American food."  
  
"Oh, my apologies. I did not know my way of speaking was incorrect."  
  
"It is Ravens turn to cook..."Beastboy said slowly. We all remembered back to the frozen TV dinners Raven had tried to serve us once.  
  
"How about a restraunt?" I looked hopefully at everyone.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Mmkay."  
  
Star scratched her arm thoughtfully looking like she trying to remember something. Then you could practically see a light bulb turn on as her face lit up.  
  
"Oh! I saw a visual advertisement on the telivison screen that describe Orleans sit and eat facility. The people on the advertisement seemed to be enjoying the "exquisite and delectable gourmet food prepared by New Orleans born chefs."  
  
Robin smiled at her adoringly, "Sure Star, we can go. I'll even help you order from the menu."  
  
She smiled sweetly at him, "Thank you Robin.  
  
I turned to Raven and make gagging noises. She smiled faintly and nodded her head in agreement. Star looked to me in concerned  
  
"Friend? Are you ill?"  
  
"No but I will be if you don't stop with the fluff." She looked at me confusedly,  
  
"Fluff? Are you speaking of cotton? I have no cotton." I smiled at her,  
  
"It just a joke Star, no big." We all piled out of the lab.  
  
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Ok, I think we have all learned something important here, I thought as I locked the door to my room behind me; Never ever leave the little tray of sugar packets in arms reach of Starfire.  
  
I learned this very important lesson when we were at the restraunt and Star had thought... well I actually have no idea what she was thinking but I do know she ate at least ten of the packets, paper wrapping and all.  
  
She had gotten some sort of sugar rush and giggled uncontrollable and stole my shoes and hid them on the roof. My feet were now very cold.  
  
I decided while I was stuck in my room for personal safety reasons, I might was well make it inhabitable. I bulldozed all the items that had accumulated on my floor under my bed. Clean enough. I pulled down the covers of my bed so you couldn't see the mess underneath. Should I go back down now? It might still be dangerous. Suddenly there was a knock on my door.  
  
"Who is it?" I asked cautiously, hoping it wasn't Star looking for someone to release some sugar energy on.  
  
"Me."  
  
"That doesn't help." I said smiling, knowing who it was now.  
  
"Fine then. It is I! The Boy of Beast looking for my fair dame!"  
  
"Oh then come on in." I opened the door and pulled him in and locked the door behind him. He waltzed around my room, fascinated by its clean state. Then he got a weird expression on his little green face.  
  
"Hey Naomi? Why is your bed all tilty like?"  
  
"Well, I cleaned my room by organizing my stuff under my bed."  
  
"Holy shit! What all do you have under there?"  
  
"I lost track." He smiled and rolled his eyes and I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. He walked over to me and laced his green fingers around mine and looked into my eyes.  
  
"So...."  
  
"So..." I mimicked him playfully. He smiled with his eyes and leaned in close to me. He barley brushed his lips against mine. I tightened my grip on his fingers, and he laughed at my anticipation.  
  
He kissed me again, a little harder this time. I lifted my hand to rest on his shoulder as his hand gently pressed the back of my head, bringing me closer into the kiss. I opened my mouth slightly and let his tongue explore my mouth. Suddenly the door to my room flew open. Beastboy yelped in pain as I accidentally bit down on his tongue.  
  
"Friend Naomi? Do-" Stars large green eyes rested on us. "Oh, a million apologies I did not intend to intrude on you session of "making out."  
  
"Thuts oka Tar." Said Beastboy who tongue was obviously hurting him, "Ah thunk Ah'll leave, Nomi ishs dantherus." He laughed at his own joke before leaving the room.  
  
"Oh my fucking god. I can't believe I just bit his tongue." I said disbelievingly at my own stupidity. There's a first time for everything.  
  
"It is not... so bad," Starfire said trying to be comforting.  
  
"Oh god," I coved my face with my hands. Star patted the top of my head trying to make me feel better. What am I? A dog?  
  
"What did you need Star?" I asked uncovering my face.  
  
"Wha- oh yeah. I am in need of the temporary usage of skin moisturizing cream." She scratched her arm, "For my skin is unusually itchy."  
  
"Yeah, it's been kinda dry this mouth. Dry weather can really do a number on your skin." I commented as I dug around in my drawer for the lotion.  
  
"This planets atmosphere is so dry, on my planet it is much more humid." She said dreamily to herself as I finally found my Strawberries n' Cream scented lotion.  
  
She smeared it on her arms and on her eyelids. I decided not to ask why her eyelids would need to be moisturized.  
  
"Thank you." She said as she handed back the small pink container.  
  
"Sure not problem, but Star?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you think you could, you know, not tell anyone about me biting-"  
  
"Of course, you tongue biting secret is confidential. I will not speak a word."  
  
Then she thought for a moment.  
  
"Well, I will speak words, but not of the tongue bit. Although... I will say "tongue" and "bit", but not together. Or... I will but-"  
  
"Ok Star, I understand."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey Naomi! NAOMI!!" Cyborg called out gleefully to me as Star and I entered the living room. He turned off his video game and jumped over to sofa landing with such force I fell backwards.  
  
"Did you really bite Little Greens tongue?" I looked up from the ground to Starfire, "You told?!?" She looked absolutely horrified,  
  
"No! I did not! It was confidential Friends forever secret! It stayed in my brain and did not escape from my mouth!"  
  
"She didth, Ah did." Beastboy entered the room from the kitchen sucking on an ice cube. I looked at him strangle,  
  
"Beastboy... why did you do that?"  
  
"Cy wouldth belive Ah wath gething kissed anyother way."  
  
"What did Naomi do?" Robin dully as he entered the room from his outside training session.  
  
"She bit Beastboys tongue while they were making out." Raven said looking up from her book as I scrambled to my feet, blushing furiously.  
  
Robin turned to me slowing and a smile spread slowly on his face. Star quickly lifted her hand to cover his smile.  
  
"He is not making laughter at you." She said carefully. I glared at Beastboy,  
  
"See if I ever kiss you again, you bastard." At first he thought I was serious, but my eyes gave away that I was kidding.  
  
"Like I would ever want to kiss you again," he said smiling as he yanked on of my pigtails, "My physical well-being is at stake."  
  
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StArRy- hello to all you readers out there! Just a little note here, this is going to be a close look into the lives of the Titans, but there will be a conclusion at the end. It wont be until the end of the story that you will learn about the little girl and the chain. But it's going to be a really fun story so read and review!! 


	3. the pox of chickens

The morning light streamed in through the kitchen window as I poured the pale pancake batter into the sizzling skillet on the stove. I watched the batter bubble as it slowly cooked. Is it done? I used the side of my pancake flipper to poke the side of the pancake, no, not done yet.  
  
"Hey, Naomi, when are our hotcakes going to be done?" Cyborg asked impatiently. I poked it again.  
  
"Not yet," I said, more talking to myself than anyone. I looked around the kitchen, wondering why my little alien chum hadn't barged in and asked me 'pancake? What is pancake?'.  
  
"Wow, Stars still sleeping? She's usually the first one up." The others shrugged sleepily as I poked the pancake. Ok, one side is cooked. I flipped it over, and was amazed. I didn't even accidentally fold it in halve, or splatter batter everywhere.  
  
"Ha, splatter batter!" I said randomly. Cyborg looked strangely at me.  
  
"Splatter batter? You are the most random person I have ever met."  
  
"Well then, you should be honored. Want my autograph? I'll sign it in pancake batter."  
  
"Oh really?" He grinned, "Would you sign it on my chest?"  
  
"Oh! But Cyborg! Your soooo hot! The batter would cook right off you!" I said, pretending to be on of his adoring fan girls.  
  
"Damn straight!" The laughed and picked up a newspaper.  
  
"Oh, read me my horoscope Cy! I am a Leo." Raven rolled her eyes feeling insulted,  
  
"Naomi, the ones in the paper are never right. That lady that supposedly predicts them doesn't know her head from her ass, much less the alignment of stars. I can give you a real one that would more accurate."  
  
"Oh ok, scratch that Cy, Ravens going to give me one instead of the lady from the paper who apparently doesn't know her head from her ass." I poked the other side of the pancake. No not done yet. I grew frustrated with its slowness and turned up the burner heat.  
  
"I had the weirdest dream last night," I said dreamily as I stared out the window over the sparkling waters. Everyone but Raven groaned.  
  
"Naomi please don't start one of your pointless-"  
  
"So I was in the living room, but instead of a T.V, there was this cave right? And a shower. So I was taking a shower and a big monster that was like covered in macaroni and cheese. He was a mac and cheese monster, anyway he started chasing me, and I was still naked.  
  
I ran through he cave and suddenly I was in The Gothic. And everyone started screaming because a monster came in and I was naked. Then I got mad so I marched up to him and told him he was scaring everyone. Then he said he was sorry and left."  
  
"Wow, that was fascinating," Raven said as she stepped next to me by the stove.  
  
"Yeah, I thought I'd just tell you so you could pretend to care."  
  
"I don't think I'll bother."  
  
"I love you too Raven." The corners of her mouth twitched, like she was going to smile but thought better of it.  
  
"Naomi? Your pancake is burning."  
  
"Shit!" I picked up then entire pan and the pancake slipped off onto the counter. I used my fingers to slide it onto a plate. One side of the pancake was a lovely golden color. The other was a lovely black color.  
  
"I'll just put the dark side on the bottom. Cyborg will never notice." Raven nodded her head in agreement and telekinetically flipped the pancake golden side up and floated the plate to a very hungry Cyborg.  
  
"Finally!!" He dumped syrup on it started wolfing it down, not noticing one side was burned to the point of inedibility.  
  
"Pull yourself up a chair Raven," I whispered," Lets watched, if he dies from it I'll give you a buck."  
  
"Make it two," Raven said as she levitated in sitting position in mid air, watched Cyborg intently. I was about to join her when I heard a faint whisper.  
  
"Naomi!" I turned to see Starfire hiding behind a corner in the kitchen. She make desperate hand gestures to follow her, I arched one eyebrow but followed. She had a huge overcoat on, I think it was Cyborgs.  
  
"Star? What's with the coat?" She bowed her head and let the coat slip to the floor.  
  
"Oh my god..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I took the thermometer out of Stars mouth and looked at the numbers.  
  
"Is that high for the people on your planet?" I asked holding it under her nose.  
  
"Yes, that is a fever." She looked up weakly at me, her eyes unfocused.  
  
"Naomi? Am I going to die?"  
  
"No! No, no, no, no! Don't worry Starfire, it's just the chicken pox." I pointed to her speckled skin.  
  
"Is it a sickness that comes from chickens?"  
  
"No. I don't know why they call it that." She scratched her arm.  
  
"Starry no. No scratching, it will only make it worse."  
  
"Why, will the chickens come after me?"  
  
"No there are no chickens involved here."  
  
"Good, I dislike chickens," She leaned on me and closed her eyes weakly, "I do not like there lips, they are pointy and painful."  
  
I had a fleeting memory of when I had taken Star to a farm and she had taken one of a chickens eggs. It did not end well for Starfire. I leaned her back onto her pillow.  
  
"Just try to get some sleep, okay Starry?" I helped her under her pink covers. Her eyes snapped open,  
  
"Oh my friend! Only now did I just remember. I do not wish to infect you with the pox of chickens!" I smiled,  
  
"Its okay Star, I already had it once, and you cant get it twice."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, your body builds up an immunity to it. I don't know if yours can, but we'll see a doctor tomorrow."  
  
"Affirmative, a doctor we shall journey to."  
  
"So just get some sleep and I'll bring you some chicken noodle soup later."  
  
"Ohh, chickens.... I see." She mumbled as I stood up.  
  
"No scratching." I commanded as I opened the door and ran right into Robin.  
  
"Is she going to be okay?" I smiled at the concern in his eyes.  
  
"Don't worry Romeo, she's going to be just fine. Its only 'the pox of chickens'." We started walking down the hall to the elevator.  
  
"But there is something bothering me." Robin was instantly alert.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, Starfire is really vulnerable, she's on a planet full of illnesses she hasn't been vaccinated for. Have you ever gotten her shots?"  
  
"Well when she first came to earth, I remember they had to have her have a big medical exam thing to make sure she wasn't carrying any germs from her planet, but I don't think they ever gave her any shots or anything."  
  
"Well, we'll talk to the doc tomorrow."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I had bundled Starfire in so much warm clothing that she looked like a snowman. She hobbled stiff legged under the weight of so much clothing, it was actually really funny to watch.  
  
"I do not wish to visit the man of heal." Starfire whispered to me as we entered the main lobby of the doctor's office.  
  
"Don't be scared Starry. Remember-," I pointed to a poster with a picture of a cartoon boy getting a check up with a cartoon doctor." Doctors are your friends!" I read off the poster.  
  
But Star didn't look comforted, and I could see why. The doctor on the poster looked really stoned. He had a wide-eyed expression and looked like he was going to grow fangs and devour the boy alive. I wouldn't be comforted either.  
  
"But Robin told me of shots. I do not wish to partake in this particular activity."  
  
"It will be okay Star, I promise."  
  
"Doctor Rogers will be with you in a moment." The young lobbyist informed us as he filed her bright pink nails.  
  
I led star to a bench in the "sick" area of the waiting room. A little boy was coughing uncontrollably beside us. Star looked to him.  
  
"I have the pox of the chickens, do you have the cough of a seal?" The little boy stared at her and continued coughing. A baby started wailing from the other side of the room. Starfires face grew more concerned.  
  
"I wish to go home now please! There is an essence of sick and unhappy here."  
  
"Starfire?" We looked up to a middle aged man wearing a white medical coat and a stethoscope draped fashionable around his neck.  
  
"She's right here," I said.  
  
"No she is not!" Starfire exclaimed.  
  
"Come on Star," I literally dragged her as we followed the doctor down the hall.  
  
"At fist I thought it was a mistaken but I really do get the honor a treating a Titan," Doctor Rogers said pleasantly as we made out way down the hall.  
  
Star dug her heels into the carpet trying to make me stop but I continued to drag her. Doctor Rogers stopped outside of a door labeled 12A and opened the door. I led Star inside and sat her down on the padded doctors table.  
  
"So Miss. Starfire, what brings you here today?"  
  
"Naomi."  
  
"No, Star, he means what are you sick with."  
  
"Oh, yes. I am ailed with the pox of chickens."  
  
"Oh I see. Naomi? You can take a seat right there." He gestured to a small table covered with old magazines and a little red chair. I took a seat.  
  
"Now, Miss Starfire. I have looked over your medical record and it shows that you have never had a shot. Am I correct in saying so?" She wiggled uncomfortable,  
  
"Yes, that is correct." He turned and frowned at me as if it was my fault. Well that's just great. Its always Naomi's fault. Just blame it on me I don't care.  
  
"Well we might as well get it done now while you're here." All the color drained from Stars face.  
  
"I do not believe that is necessary." She said quickly. I felt so bad for Starfire.  
  
"Its ok Star, I promise, it will be over with very soon. Just don't look at the needle." She shook her head furiously and mouthed, 'I wish to go home now please!' The doctor grabbed his clipboard,  
  
"Just sit put ladies, I'll be back in a few minutes with the vaccinations. Feel free to read a magazine." He shut the door quietly behind him. Starfire looked around the room.  
  
"What sorts of a facility dose not have windows?!?" She asked.  
  
"So no crazed patient can fly out and escape." I tried to look serious but a smile erupted on my face.  
  
"Stop you smile! This is no situation for a smile!" Then she thought for a minute.  
  
"Naomi? Have you every received a shot before?"  
  
"Yeah, loads of times."  
  
"Dose it hurt much?"  
  
"Nah, not to much."  
  
"Please demonstrate the amount of pain in the form of a pinch." I reached out and gently pinched her arm.  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Yeah." She opened her mouth to say something but the doctor retuned to the room with a tray of syringes.  
  
"Normally you get shots over the course of you life, but since you were not here you will receive your basic line shots right now, and I'll give you an ointment that will clear up you pox before you leave."  
  
"How shots many would that be?"  
  
"About seven."  
  
"Holy shit." The doctor raised his eyebrows but didn't comment on my profanity.  
  
"Miss Starfire? Please take off your many coats." She shed them and cringed as Doctor Rogers advanced on her.  
  
"Don't worry, it's just a cotton ball with antibacterial cleanser on it." He began to rub the antibacterial cotton ball on her arm.  
  
"Are you ready Miss Starfire?" she nodded and I stood up and walked beside her.  
  
"Look at me Star, not the needle."  
  
"It is difficult."  
  
"Difficult? Am I really that ugly?" She laughed and didn't even notice the needle slid into her arm.  
  
"Okay, one down."  
  
"Is that all?" She asked, sounding amazed. He nodded.  
  
"So," Asked doctor Rogers as he prepared the next needle, "How is life going so far? Any leads on Slade yet?"  
  
Needle in.  
  
"Not yet, Robin says he's close to finding his hid out though."  
  
Needle out.  
  
Needle in.  
  
"Really?"  
  
Needle out.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Needle in.  
  
"What about that French guy?"  
  
Needle out. My face flushed as I thought about Ice. Ice was a fugitive from France that had marked me out as his one and only. I only wanted to kill him.  
  
"I hate him."  
  
Needle in.  
  
"That is truthful. She tells me so every day."  
  
Needle out.  
  
"My daughter thinks he's pretty good looking."  
  
Needle in.  
  
"You should get her eyes checked."  
  
Needle out.  
  
"For what?"  
  
Needle in.  
  
"For blindness."  
  
Needle out.  
  
"Last one." The doctor said cheerfully as he gave Star the last shot.  
  
"What color band aid would you like? I always let my patients pick the color of there last shot."  
  
"Truly?" She looked down to the colorful assortment of bandages. She pondered for a moment.  
  
"Pink... no, yellow. Wait! No..." I rolled my head back and groaned.  
  
"Just pick."  
  
"Blue." As we left the building with a tube of chicken pox medicine Starfire leaned in close to me to whisper something.  
  
"Do you know why I chose the color of blue for my adhesive bandage strip?" I shook my head. "Because I am aware that it is your favorite color." I hugged her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was a couple weeks after the last chicken pox cleared off of Star. Beastboy and I were having one of our most heated debates.  
  
"Where do you wanna go?"  
  
"I duno, where do you wanna go?"  
  
"I duno where do you want to go?"  
  
"I duno where do YOU want to go?"  
  
"I duno where do YOU want to go?"  
  
"I duno where do YOU want to go?"  
  
I smiled; he could be so cute sometimes. Sometimes.  
  
We ended up going to Froth, a cute little coffee shop on the corner of Silver Street in downtown. As we entered the softly lit shop I inhaled the smell of the freshly brewed coffee.  
  
We walked to the counter, thankful it wasn't crowed. The last thing we needed was to be ambushed by a group of crazed teens, asking if Beastboy and I were really going out. But the people that were there were staring and whispering at us. Beastboy decided to assert his manlyness by ordering.  
  
"Yeah, Id like an espresso and she like-" He looked to me.  
  
"A small cappuccino with vanilla syrup."  
  
"Right, your total comes to $3.89." We paid for our coffee and sat down on a soft sofa in the corner. We talked of various things, even after our coffee had been drunk. I snuggled closer to him.  
  
"We better be getting back," he whispered looking at the time.  
  
"Nooo..." I whined pitiful grabbed his arm. He laughed and agreed to stay five for minutes. But five minutes became ten. Then twenty. Then thirty.  
  
"Now we really need to go back," Beastboy said grinning, "I told Robin we'd be back like, halve an hour ago. He's going to freak out."  
  
"When doesn't he? But yeah, lets go, I need to take a shower."  
  
"We could always take a shower together..." Beastboy said carefully. I stared at him with one corner of my mouth upturned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We wouldn't do anything... just take a shower." He blushed, "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. Unless you want to."  
  
"Beastboy! Are you always this horny?"  
  
"Yes and I'm sorry. I can't help it." I smiled. Yes, hormones are a very hard thing to live with. At least he was being sweet about it. At least he wasn't being perverted and stupid like some bastards I know. Like Ice.  
  
"Sorry BB. Not this time." He collected out empty cup and was about to throw them away when my communicator when off.  
  
Dun... dun... dundun... dun... dundundundun! Beastboy looked at me strangely.  
  
"Naomi? Why did your commentator ring the death march?"  
  
"Oh, I changed the ring tone thing."  
  
"Wow, you can do that?"  
  
"Yeah, I had Gizmo set it for me when we captured him last month. I also made him set the time on the VCR. Only a genius could figure that fucking thing out."  
  
Dun... dun.... dundun dun.... dundundundun! I flipped it open. Cyborgs face flickered onto the screen.  
  
"Hey Nomi Homi Whasup?"  
  
"Not a whole lot G-dawg." I laughed; I love pretending to be gangster with Cyborg.  
  
"Well, sorry to intrude on your daaaate but we have a situation." I was instantly alert.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"The police station just called, Jinx is causing trouble at a local carnival."  
  
"Carnival? Yeah... isn't it like the Dreamland carnival? By the mall?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it. Listen, you need to check that out for us okay? We got our hands full. There was a third degree robbery at the Debos Spy wear factory. We think it might have been the work of Slade. Robins went fucking ballistic looking for him. Can you handle this yourself?"  
  
"Sure, I can handle that little witch bitch."  
  
"Hey, I could come too." Beastboy said.  
  
"No, we need you here little green. We need you to use you doggie nose to sniff out Slade. Starfire was going to help you Naomi, but remember what happened the last time?"  
  
I remembered back to when we all went a carnival. Star had gotten so upset with the bottle pyramid game.  
  
"I can not win! It is impossible! They have made it so it is imposable to win!" She had yelled, making a seen. Then she had starbolted the pyramid of bottles. The guy gave us all prizes just to go away. Beastboy looked sadly at me, upset that he had to leave to work.  
  
"Don't you be complaining!!! I have to go hang out with carnies!"  
  
*  
  
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*  
  
StArRy- Naomi is such a good friend! Poor Star! Ok, now we are getting underway.  
  
These first three chapters were just to review one the story, now we are getting into the meat and potatoes of the story. So read and review! 


	4. hexes and mimes

"Excuse me! Move please. Please move! I am on official Titan business!"  
  
I pushed my way through the crowed grounds of the Dreamland themed carnival. I didn't really see how it related to dreams but that's what it was called. Maybe because the person who named it was under the delusion that carnivals are fun.  
  
I looked up to the Ferris wheel and shudder. Don't you people know that carnies assemble these rides in like a matter of hours?!? Dose that sound safe to you?  
  
Carnies. I shuddered at the thought of them. Carnies are way worse than circus freaks. I shuddered again and began my search for Jinx.  
  
Oh god, did that Ferris wheel just wobble? No... I just imagined it. How can anyone go on these rides? So fucking dangerous!! The Ferris wheel was starting to freak me out so I backed away from it, running right into... a mime.  
  
Not the kind of mime that blows up, oh no, that would make things too fun. No, it was the kind of mime that you just want to kill. His face was powdered white and his hair was combed with black dye. He had black eyeliner surrounding his bright blue eyes and his shirt was striped black and white. He rubbed his head from the collision.  
  
"I hate mimes" I informed him very friendlily. He traced a mock tear on his face, but then recognized me as the superhero I am. He grabbed me and pulled me into a huge crowed of people under a huge banner that read 'Dreamland'. The crowd gasped and laughed when they saw me.  
  
"Is that Naomi?"  
  
"What's she doing?"  
  
"Is she apart of the show?"  
  
"She doesn't look to happy about it."  
  
And happy I wasn't. The mime put his hands up and pretended to put me in a box. I glared daggers at him and tried to walk away, but he 'lassoed' me and followed.  
  
"Stop you stupid mime!" I yelled as he pretended that I was very heavy and hard to push. The crowd burst out laughing. The mime put his hands on his hips and silently mocked me, blinking his eyes ditzily.  
  
"Sock him Naomi!" Someone called. How I wished I could, but I couldn't risk an assault charge. I cant just go around socking people. Unless... Are mimes really considered people? I don't think so... More like freaks of nature. Maybe if he comes a little closer I can make it look like an accident.  
  
Suddenly I heard a ripping noise. I looked up and saw the banners ropes breaking. The crowd screamed as the huge banner dropped like a huge blanket on top of the crowd. I used this distraction to escape. I ducked behind one of the food stalls.  
  
"He a friend of yours?" I looked up in surprise to see Jinx, leaning coolly against another food stall. She smirked and I knew instantly who had caused the banner to fall.  
  
"You need to leave," I commanded returning the nasty look. "You cant just cause trouble-"  
  
"Oh is THAT what they told you? Trouble? No. Its not trouble, just a small bit of fun." She upturned her nose at me, "Not that fun is anything YOU would know about." I felt my defiance rise up inside me.  
  
"Trust me witch bitch, I know fun."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
  
"I do!"  
  
"You titans, all walk around like you've got sticks up your asses."  
  
"That's not true." Suddenly she turned her head, "See that guy over there?" I looked and saw a man with a hot dog, shaking a ketchup bottle, trying to get the ketchup to come out.  
  
"Watch," Jinx commanded. She raised a hand lazily and the ketchup exploded out of the bottle and onto the man wife. She called him a pig and slapped him with her purse. I rolled my eyes,  
  
"Armature." I looked to a popcorn cart. I concentrated on the flame that was popping the kernels and intensed it. The heat caused the lid to explode off and sent popcorn raining down. Little boys came running up with her mouths wide open, catching the popcorn in their mouths. Jinx clapped her hands softly.  
  
"Good, but I believe I could do better.  
  
Suddenly, Dreamland became more of a nightmare.  
  
The petting zoo's fence 'broke' and sheep, goats, small horses, and chickens ran wild.  
  
The balls from the basket toss to bounce from the walls, hitting the person who threw them.  
  
A soda machine exploded, drenching everyone in a five-foot radius with sticky soda. Arcade games malfunctioned, spraying game coins at the people playing them.  
  
"Watch this." Jinx said mysteriously. We slunk to a cotton candy machine. A man was standing at the spinning pot, twirling a paper stick gathering the spun sugar. Jinx blinked one eye and the corner of the mans shirt got caught in the spinning pot. He yelped as the machines gears caught his shirt and started to wind him in. His assistant slammed her fist on the safety button and the machine stopped. The mans shirt was almost completely ripped off. Jinx cracked up and I found myself giggling as well. It was kinda funny. And no one was really getting hurt, right?  
  
"Lets ride a ride." Jinx said.  
  
"I can't exactly be seen with you. Remember?" I reminded her. She smiled and pushed me into a costume stall. I immerged seconds later in a long brown trench coat. I took the pigtail holders out of my hair and looked in the mirror. Perfect. No one would know it was me unless they really looked at me. Most people know us by our uniforms; people are less likely to recognize me in normal clothing.  
  
"Perfect," Jinx purred slightly on the purr in perfect. She pulled me away from the costume stall.  
  
"Wait! You have to pay for that!" Called the old lady who ran the stall.  
  
"Oh, of course." I turned to pay the woman, but Jinx giggled insanely and pulled me away.  
  
"You don't have to pay! You save this city every fucking day!! They OWE it to you." That makes sense I suppose. It is just a trench coat. We ran off, I felt a little bad for the poor dear who ran the stall. I'll send the money to them tomorrow. Yeah... that's it  
  
"So, lets ride the Ferris wheel!"  
  
The Farris wheel? Carnies! It's not safe! I shuddered. Jinx cut in front of the entire line of people waiting. Smirking as the people yelled angrily she stood at the very front.  
  
"Hey, aren't you the criminal-" The ticket taker began, but Jinx swore horribly at him and grabbed my hand. She rushed to the nearest seat on the wheel and sat me down next to her.  
  
"Hey! You kids have to get off! I'll call the police!" The ticket taker yelled.  
  
"I think you out of luck." Jinx whispered softly. She lazily blinked one eye and the wheel magically started spinning slowly. I looked to the ground and saw the man looking up at us and yelling. I lost every trace of sense in my mind.  
  
"Make it go faster!" She nodded, smiling and the Ferris wheels controls started sparking and smoking. The wheel gave a lurch as its spinning quickened. Other people on the ride started screaming as the wheel span faster and faster. I screeched in delight and held on to the seat for dear life. Jinx sat calmly, with her arms crossed smiling proudly.  
  
I looked out of the window and saw the ticket man furiously pressing buttons, trying to get the ride to stop. He finally succeeded and started letting people off car by car. People came stumbling out, looking sick. The long line for the Ferris wheel quickly dissolved as people left to look for a safer ride. Jinx looked at me and I nodded.  
  
She held on to me as we silently flew down and scrambled off. I panted, smiling as the adrenalin from the terrifying ride still coursed powerfully in my veins giving me a chillingly hot feeling. Jinx genuinely smiled and admitted that maybe I didn't have such a stick up my ass. Well that's good to know.  
  
We went off in search of other rides to tamper with.  
  
The roller coasters chain broke and went plummeting out of control, unable to be stopped.  
  
The chair lifts cable snapped, sending the chairs zooming down the track.  
  
The bumper cars malfunctioned and stared crashing into one another at tremendous speed.  
  
The speakers that played carnival music mysteriously started playing inappropriate songs over and over. Jinx and I danced to the racy lyrics in the fun house with all the mirrors broken. I skipped as we exited the fun house but Jinx seemed...board.  
  
As we stepped out into the bright sun her eyes widened as she set her sights on a new target. The merry go round.  
  
"Jinx no." I looked at the little children sitting on the horses, going up and down. She ignored me and continued walking in the direction of the kiddy ride.  
  
"Jinx! NO!" I grabbed her arm, "There are little kids on that ride! They could fall off and get hurt."  
  
"I don't care. It will be funny." I looked at her like she was a crazy fugitive escaping from the law. Which she was.  
  
"No, that will NOT be funny." She looked discussed at me.  
  
"Like I said, don't have a sense of humor."  
  
"No, I just know when things stop being funny." I shed my trench coat. "And things have stopped being funny. She looked concerned for a moment, then sneered,  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something little hero? I still got my sights on that merry go whatever. You attack, and those little kids get the ride of their lives."  
  
I looked at the merry go round. I couldn't risk Jinx hexing the ride. There were to many innocent lives at stake. I glared at her, unmoving, daring her to attack.  
  
"Azerath Meterion Zinthos!" An entire soda machine hurled out of nowhere and nearly hit Jinx. She bounded out of the way hissing angrily. Robin and Raven surrounded her, looking confused.  
  
"Naomi! You never came back from the-" Robin narrowed his eyes at Jinx, who stood coolly with one hand on her hip, sneering nastily.  
  
"Naomi? Why did it take you three hours to track down Jinx?" Robin asked suspiciously.  
  
"Ohh, is THAT what she was supposed to be doing?" Jinx voice rang out like bells, "No Robin, your little hero was assisting me with my chaos." Robin turned to stare disbelievingly at me.  
  
"Naomi? What the fuck is she talking about? She's lying right?" I didn't reply.  
  
"Naomi, please tell me she was lying."  
  
"Nope," Said Jinx cheerfully. Suddenly the ticket man from the Ferris wheel rushed up to us yelling,  
  
"There they are! There the two that caused the Ferris wheel to malfunction!" Robin looked to me, and his expression hardened. I was completely shocked.  
  
"No! I didn't! I mean... she did! I mean... I didn't mean too..."  
  
I have never seen Robin angrier in my entire life. He was gritting his teeth and a temple in his forehead was popping out with rage. His hands were clamped into fists at his side and even though I couldn't see Robin's eyes, I knew that they were furious.  
  
"Robin? I... I'm sorry." I said in a small voice. Jinxes face was lit up in glee, hopping that Robin would attack me.  
  
"Get. In. The. Car." Robin hissed, so angry he could hardly get the words out. I backed away from him and cowered in the direction in the parking lot. I looked over my shoulder and saw Robin trying to smooth things over with the Ticket taker man while Raven bent down and picked up my stolen trench coat. I found the car and sat down heavily in the back seat.  
  
How could I have been so stupid? How could I have been so fucking stupid? How could I let Jinx manipulate me like that? I was stupid stupid stupid. I banged my head on the window, hopping that it would kill me. Unfortunately it didn't. Maybe if I turn my head slightly to the right and bang it hard enough...  
  
I heard Ravens and Robins distressed voices outside the car.Raven gently opened the passenger door and sat down, casting a nervous look at Robin who threw open the drivers side of the door and slammed it shut behind him.  
  
Even his driving was angry. Slamming on his brakes at stop signs. Turning corners so sharply I had to put my hand out to keep from falling.  
  
The first few minutes of the ride were silent. Suddenly he pulled over to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes and turned to face me.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!?!"  
  
"I... I guess I want."  
  
"No shit!! What the HELL would possess you to pull that kind of shit?!?!" I felt sick with shame. I hung my head, refusing to look at Robin.  
  
"It just... started out so innocent. At fist it was just making a ketchup bottle squirt ketchup on a lady. Then Jinx slowly made it worse and I didn't realize it. I'm sorry."  
  
"Saying you're sorry doesn't change a god damn thing."  
  
He looked to my face and sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. He looked so old. Like someone who had to grow up in too soon. Having to become an adult before you were even were a child. He looked at me with the face of a tired old man who had already seen enough pain for three lifetimes.  
  
"I just don't know what to do with you Naomi."  
  
I gasped, thinking he was suggesting throwing me off the team.  
  
"No, no, no, no." Raven said quickly, reassuring me I was still on the team, "But Naomi, I...just...don't know what to think. I want to defend you somehow but I just don't know how."  
  
I felt like I was going to throw up. I didn't deserve her to defend me. I don't deserve anything.  
  
"I just don't know what to do with you." Robin murmured soft as he started up the car and took to the road once more. "I just don't know how to make you see." All was quiet for a few minutes.  
  
"We had to let Jinx go, you know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It would have been hypocritical to send her to jail and not to the same for you."  
  
"I'll go to jail!" I was desperate for a punishment. Anything so Robin could forgive me. Robin shook his head.  
  
"We can't afford that kind of publicity. I could smooth over things with the carnival workers, but a Titan doing jail time could ruin our image forever." He sighed, again looking old,  
  
"But Naomi? Do you understand? I don't know what to do. I can punish you. I'm not your father. I don't have the authority to ground you or whatever. I have to be able to rely on you to be able to control yourself. I know that's a lot to ask, for you to give up your childhood, but we cannot be children; we have to act like adults. It's expected."  
  
Then the anger flared up in him again.  
  
"What if you had hurt someone?!?! What if an old man had a heart attack on that Ferris wheel you and your little "pal" fucked with?!?! Would you be having fun then?!?"  
  
My insides felt crumbly. I had let everyone down and I don't know how to make it better.  
  
*  
  
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StArRy- kinda a sad chapter, but I felt like I needed a chapter to prove that Naomi is still only human, and every human makes mistakes. A huge mistake, but I could see how Jinx could trick her into coming along for the chaos. I tried REALLY hard to get Jinxes personality right. But it's hard; she hasn't had a lot of airtime.  
  
Now to answer some review questions!! Ta da!!  
  
Raven The Sorceress- no, I don't think there going to be sex in it. I'm not planning any anyway. And yeah, I kinda left the part open where Naomi was going home to talk to BB, but yeah they started going out after that.  
  
NavynBabyBlueSuedeShoes- I just wanted to say that your review was really nice. Really long and really nice. That's the best kind!!! I'm glad you understand my style of writing (someone has too!!) And I'm glad you like my story! It just made my day!  
  
boogalaga- Wow. I wrote the dream and I didn't really think about it, but it dose kinda symbolize her life. WOW! Here's to the observant!  
  
Marshmello Da Strawberry Cow- What a very interesting name.  
  
The Anime kid and Chaos Girl- what? What monkey?  
  
Raven A. Star-still reviewing for every chapter! Yay! 


	5. red high heeled shoes

Robin had said he didn't know how to punish me, little did he know of the emotional beating he was giving me by ignoring me over the next week.  
  
I was very surprised at how angry Cyborg had gotten at me as well. He is very one-sided, that one is. Either you are good, or bad. He didn't know what to think of me so he gave me the cold shoulder.  
  
Beastboy and Starfire had convinced themselves that somehow this entire ordeal was the fault of Jinx and forgave me, but they did seem rather distant, not looking me in the eye.  
  
Raven was my only savior. Not only did she completely forgive me, but got angry with the rest of the team for not doing the same. Raven told me that she of all people should know how important second chances are.  
  
But even though Raven was still one my side, and Starfire and Beastboy to some degree, I started spending more and more time away from the tower during the week. Just loitering around random places. I walked aimlessly through parks, gliding gently on the spring's breeze, just being with myself.  
  
I know my friends will forgive me eventually, but until then... I just felt lonely. One week and a day after the carnival incident, I was wondering around central park in normal clothing. Just listening to the breezes rustles the leaves and smell the fresh air.  
  
I walked aimlessly until I came upon a small playground... the playground. I stopped so suddenly my heels skid on the green grass.  
  
It was here. Here was I met her. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I remembered the small child.  
  
I told what had happened to Raven and she still cant figure out how the little girl had gotten to this time. I can't explain it, but I know who she was... event though I hadn't been her for a long time. I knew she was me.  
  
A sudden yelp of surprise yanked me out of my absentminded state. I looked over my shoulder and saw a girl, no older than myself, yelling angrily at a guy who was running and had a small handbag firmly griped in his fist.  
  
"GIVE ME BACK MY BAG YOU LITTLE FUCKER!!" The girl bent down, screaming at him. But she smiled insanely as if she enjoyed the excitement of being mugged.  
  
I calmly stepped in front of the fastly moving guy and my leg sent him sprawling face down into the ground. He scrambled to his feet, gasping desperately from having the air knocked out of him. I calmly reached down and snatched the handbag.  
  
He looked at me as if he was going to attack me, but then hunched over and stalked off. I debated whether to go after him but decided not too, it was just a small misdemeanor. I couldn't get in real trouble for it.  
  
I looked up and saw the girl jogging over to me. Her long black hair set in natural curls matched her dark skin, defining her African American ethnicity.  
  
"I just got mugged! Ha! That's the funniest thing that's ever happened to me! I was standing there minding my own business than BAM! He was all, grabbed my bag. You all trip him! Then he's all on the ground!" She looked like she had had the time of her life. I laughed and handed her her bag.  
  
"Oh, yeah thanks."  
  
"No problem, its kinda what I do."  
  
"Wha- wait." She stared at me for a moment, "Wait... your Naomi! From the double T! I didn't recognize you at first. You're not wearing your uniform."  
  
"Nah, not today. So, you a fan?"  
  
"No, I actually hate you." I looked to her smiling face.  
  
"You hate me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh really...why?"  
  
"Well, you and Starfire actually, you two are all prancing around in those obscenely short skirts. I'll be damned if I haven't seen your panties at least fifty million times on the news."  
  
I stared at her for a moment, and then laughed, she reminded me of someone. Jessi.  
  
"Yeah, we are obscene little girls, aren't we?" She smiled and stuck out her hand.  
  
"Hello, my names Nikki, and I just got mugged." I grasped her hand.  
  
"Hi Nikki, I'm Naomi, you hate me apparently but I wont let that small detail ruin your 'just got mugged'thrill."  
  
We stated laughing like a couple of idiots. Without realizing it, we started walking down the main path of the park, talking freely.  
  
"So, where are the other Titans?"  
  
"Their... well, kinda mad at me."  
  
"Really? Why? What did you do NOW?!?"  
  
"I kinda sorta fucked up really bad and helped a evil criminal cause chaos."  
  
"The French guy?"  
  
"Oh, god no. Jinx."  
  
"Ohhhh, I saw her in the newspaper. She's got funky hair. How they hell dose she get it to stand up like that? She must use a ton of hair spray. She's apart of the HIVE right?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
"I really didn't mean too, it just is kinda one of those things that happens."  
  
"Well, your only human." I looked in surprise at her. She smiled softly,  
  
"People must forget that a lot, huh?"  
  
"Yeah... they do. Everyone expects me to just be this...adult. But I... I'm still a teenager. Like you said, only human. Well, as human as you can get with superpowers. Its hard... to have the continues stress on your shoulders knowing that you can not make any mistakes, or innocent people will have to pay."  
  
Nikki twirled her long hair around her finger thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, if you want to be a teen just call me ok?" She took out a pen and scribbled a number on my arm.  
  
"We can, like, hang out."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"It should be illegal to have to fight the forces of evil when it's that time of the month," I groaned as I rubbed my lower stomach, trying to ease my menstrual cramps. Nikki nodded dramatically,  
  
"It should be illegal to do anything during your period." I was lying on her fuzzy light blue sofa in her room. Her room was a normal teenager's room, kind of like the one I used to have.  
  
Fuzzy white carpet with soft purple painted walls that you could hardly see because of all the posters covering every available surface area. The radio was tuned to a popular station and was blasting the latest song from The Lining.  
  
Nikki was sitting cross-legged on her bed, wearing blue jeans and a white tank top to show off her dark skin.  
  
She was also taking pleasure gorging down an unreal amount of ice cream, straight from the carton. How that stays that thin is beyond me.  
  
"And of course I never have any pads." I continued with my ramblings. "Star always gets into them and unleashes her boundless curiosity upon them." I stat up and mimic Starfires wide eyed bewilderment,  
  
"What is this contraption? What is its purpose? Is it a sticker?"  
  
"She thought it was a sticker?" Nikki sucked on her spoon to keep from laughing.  
  
"The celb life isn't all its cracked up to be." I said dryly, "Especially when you have to peel pads off the wall from when Starfire decided to 'decorate'."  
  
"I don't use pads anyway," Nikki said spooning an enormous amount of ice cream into her mouth, "I always use tampons."  
  
"Really? I don't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They hurt so frickin' much!"  
  
"Really? They don't hurt me at all. Maybe you're not pushing them in far enough."  
  
"I push them in until I can't see them anymore."  
  
"Well, you have to push them in until you can't see them and then a little more. But not too much."  
  
"How much is to much?"  
  
"When you start to feel excruciating pain in your lower stomach area. But... you might just be getting to big a sized tampons."  
  
"I always get the slender but they still..." Suddenly our fascinating conversation about the facts of female life was cut short by the sudden bursting open of Nikki's door.  
  
"Niiiiikki! Mom says your friend-"The small boys dark brown eyes widened as he looked at me. I assume he was Nikki's little brother; he was dark skinned as she was and his head was completely bald. He was absolutely adorable. But his adorableness faded as he started shrieking.  
  
"MOM!! MOOOM! NAOMIS HERE!!" He quickly left to find his mom to tell her the exciting news.  
  
"Sorry, what were you saying before Bret interrupted?"  
  
"I forget... something about... cannibalisum? No... Oh well. Was that your little brother?"  
  
"One of two. He's got a identical twin."  
  
"How fun! How old are they?"  
  
"Five, I hate it. I can never tell them apart I swear." I abandoned the sofa and crawled over to Nikki and stole her spoon and dug out some ice cream.  
  
"Hey! Get your own!" She giggled and I flicked the ice cream that hit her on the nose.  
  
"Hey!! You little fucker!"  
  
"Yeah?!? Well your...stupid." I said as if it was the worst insult in the world, "Ohhh! You got burned! Total diss on the shiznick! What now bitch? You got told!!"  
  
She laughed and was about to call me something obscene and inappropriate when we heard voices outside Nikki's door.  
  
"Ok, ok I'm going sweetie." A plump middle-aged lady opened the door with a very distraught looking Bret attacked to her leg.  
  
"Nicole? Bret insists that one of the Teen Titans is in here. Can you please tell Bret that your friend might LOOK like Naomi but isn't?"  
  
Nikki doubled up in silent laughter as I floated into the air and replied,  
  
"But I am she." I glided over to the speechless woman, "I assume your Mrs. Cecil. Nice to meet you." Her mouth hang open stupidly as a very exited Bret danced around her feet.  
  
"See? See? I told you! You said she wasn't but I was right! I was right and you were wrong! Look Jeremy! I was right!"  
  
A little boy that was identical to his brother peeked around his mother's legs to look curiously at me. He slowly crept closer to me and I couldn't help but notice that he was wearing enormous red high-heeled shoes on his tiny feet. He made his way slowly to me, walking stiff legged to his shoes wouldn't fall off. Clunk clunk clunk.  
  
He said nothing but looked to me in wonderment. Suddenly Nikki's cheerful looking mother got a hold of her wits.  
  
"Oh... Naomi, would you like to stay for lunch-supper! Supper, that's what I meant."  
  
My face lit up.  
  
"Food? Not three day old pizza but real actual food?"  
  
"Yes, I do like to serve real actual food." She laughed and rounded up her small boys to set the table.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
We all sat around the table after Bret and Jeremy had finally stopped running in circles around the table, trying to see who would get dizzy and fall down first.  
  
I started to notice that Bret always talked for Jeremy, who never said a word. And also that there was not father. But that is perfectly normal, lots of families are divorced.  
  
"Naomi must have veggies," Nikki's mom announced in a motherly tone, spooning steamed broccoli onto my plate.  
  
"Mooom! Please!" Nikki looked embarrassed by her moms "lameness." But I liked it. Once you start living without your parents, you'll be surprised at what you'll miss most. And it usually is their 'lameness'.  
  
Bret and Jeremy stared unblinkingly at me from across the table.  
  
"Stop staring! Its rude!" Mrs. Cecil hit them gently over the head with a napkin. They blinked a couple of times but continued to stare. I opened my eyes wide and stared right back at them, causing Bret to laugh and Jeremy to smile.  
  
"Jeremy, be a good boy and fetch the small chair from your room, if you please," Mrs. Cecil commanded her son as if she was a drill sergeant and he was her private. He hopped down from his chair and him and his red shoes clucked up the stairs.  
  
"Sooo," I said, trying hard to suppress a smile, "He likes high heeled shoes apparently."  
  
"Oh my god, he loves girls apparel. He is going to grow up to be a male cross dresser, I swear," Nikki said rolling her eyes.  
  
"Shush! No he is not!" Mrs. Cecil snapped, "Its just a little stage he's going through."  
  
The clunking of shoes announced Mr. Jeremy's arrival as he held a plastic red chair above his head. He looked down the long flight of stairs and stared to make his way down them.  
  
"Jeremy, don't. Take off those shoes-"But it was too late. Jeremy slipped and started to pitch forwards, a silent look of shock on his small face. I instinctively sprang into the air and caught him just as he was about to tumble down the stairs. I set him gently on the ground at the foot of the stairs.  
  
"Are you ok?" He looked at me silently.  
  
"Jeremy's not a talker," Mrs. Nikki's Mom explained as she grabbed her son in a big hug, "Hasn't spoken a word since... his father left."  
  
The way she said the last sentence made me get the feeling that the father did more than 'just leave', but I didn't comment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You were out late," Robin commented carefully as I entered the tower. He had been sitting in one of the chairs near the front entrance, waiting for me to return.  
  
"Yes, I was." I stared to walk away from him.  
  
"Yeah... where were you?" He jumped to his feet and followed me.  
  
"At Nikki's. We had dinner then watched movies with her little brothers."  
  
"Nikki's again? You've hung out with her a lot lately."  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"Yes, you seem to visit her quite often," Star joined up with us, looking a little sad. Why is everyone following me around?  
  
"Yeah, I like her a lot. Night."  
  
I turned to the elevator and climbed in, leaving Star and Robin behind. As the doors shut I rubbed my face tiredly and leaned back on the wall of the elevator and sighed.  
  
Things were still not cool between me and the rest of the team, there was so much tension between everyone. They seemed like they wanted it to be all okay again, but for some strange reason I was upset with them. Upset that they ignored me for so long. A week ago all I wanted was forgiveness, but now that I had it... I was upset, even angry with them.  
  
The elevators doors opened and I hurried down the hall to my room, opened the door and collapsed onto my bed. I hugged my pillows and cursed at life for being so stupid.  
  
Why was I mad at them? I was the one who fucked up. Maybe because I knew that if it were one of them that had had the run in with Jinx, I would have forgiven them in a second. For some reason I just felt... betrayed.  
  
There was a soft knock on the door that I recognized as Starfire.  
  
"Naomi? May I have a sentence with you?"  
  
"Yeah, come in." She entered uncertainly and looked at me as if I was some long lost friend she hadn't seen in years.  
  
"Naomi, Robin... he is sorry. He has spoken the very words himself. He is sorry he had refused to acknowledge your existence for a brief period of time and wishes to perform 'making up'."  
  
"Good for him."  
  
"Cyborg also wishes he did not partake in the role of 'an asshole' as well. He put it just so."  
  
"Good for him as well."  
  
"Naomi," Star looked at me with a pained expression, "We can not help but feel that you have been... neglecting us lately."  
  
"Oh, I've been neglecting YOU guys?!? Well, I am so very sorry. With the whole you people not even looking at me for a week thing! So I went out and made a friend. So what?"  
  
"Oh... she is a friend." Star had a funny expression on her face, almost like... jealously. "Tell me, do you have 'girl time'?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"I see." She glided to the door and rested her hand on the knob. "Tell me, can you talk of thing with her you could not talk to me of?"  
  
She left the room before I could answer. I sat stupidly on my bed. It's true, I do enjoy the company of someone who doesn't have to have every slang or cuss word explained to them, but nothing could replace my friends. But Nikki was a friend now too.  
  
I swore horribly and fell backwards on my bed. They were going to make me choose. I will ALWAYS have to choose between a relatively normal relationship and my relatively unnormal relationships with them. The phone began ringing. I ignored it until I heard Beastboy yelling,  
  
"Naooooooomi! It's for you! It's a booooooy!" He sang tantingly it as if he was a younger sibling taking pleasure in the embarrassment of the older sibling getting a phone call from the opposite sex.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Breeeeet!" Oh! I smiled as I rolled out of bed and ran into Beastboy in the hall.  
  
"Is this someone I should know about? Are you cheating on me?" he asked in mock seriousness, trying to pretend like we were joking around like usually and nothing was wrong. Dear lord. Last week I nobody would look me in the eye, now I have to pry them off!  
  
"BB, he's a five year old."  
  
"So? Doesn't mean your not having sex with him." I stuck my tongue out at him and snatched the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Naomi? NAOMI!! NAOMI!! NAOMI!!!"  
  
"YES??YES??YES??"  
  
"Will you come to Jeremy and mines birthday party tomorrow?" Beastboy stared to hug me from behind, rubbing my stomach with the tips of his fingers. Letting his lips brush the back of my neck.  
  
"Hmmmm, let me check my busy schedule." I leaned away from the phone to build suspense for the little Bret.  
  
"Well, what do you know? It just so happens I've got an opening for tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"Really?!? Jeremy! She can come! She can come!!" I head the sound of to little hands clapping instead of words on the other line.  
  
"What? Bret! I told you not to bother her!" I heard Nikki's angry yelling in the background.  
  
"She wants to come!" Bret's voice yelled triumphantly, "You said that she wouldn't but she dose!"  
  
"No! Give me the fricken phone! Bret! GIVE IT TO ME!!"  
  
"Naomi? Come at three! Bye!"  
  
"GIVE IT-" click. I smiled as I hung up the phone. How cute. I haven't been to a birthday party since forever. Beastboy hugged me harder, as if trying to direct my attention to him.  
  
"So, who was that?" He whispered the question in my ear in a soft voice that he thought was sexy.  
  
"Oh, just Nikki's little brother. He was inviting me to this little birthday party tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"Oh..."Little green elf sounded disappointed, "I just thought that... we could go out tomorrow. I haven't seen you lately and...I miss you. You know.. with everything going on..."  
  
"Yeah." He was about to try to kiss me on the lips when I heard Robins voice echoing in another room.  
  
"Hey Naomi? Can you come here for a minute? Cy and I want to talk with you."  
  
"Sure, hold on." I called to Robin, "Beastboy, we can go out after the party, ok?" He nodded and reluctantly let go of me and I left to find the location of Robin's voice, which happened to be the living room.  
  
"Yes?" I asked as I entered the room. Cyborg was sitting om the big red couch, but jumped to his feet when I entered. Robin was leaning agaist the wall, with 'I really don't want to do this but I know I have to' look.  
  
Cyborg looked at me and rubbed the back of his neck, tilting his head sighing. Robin cleared his throat,  
  
"Well, we're...sorry. We really are. We know you would have never done anything like that intentionally and we should have forgiven you a long time ago."  
  
"Yeah," Cyborg added, "You... still my homi?"  
  
I nodded, "Well bye." And I left.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
StArRy- Naomi is dishing out some serious attitude. But everyone gets pissy sometimes. And it IS that time of the month! I would be upset if my friends ignored me for more than a week! 0__o  
  
Kinda a rough point for Naomi but everyone will love each other in the end. Except Ice _  
  
Well, review or fear my wrath! Which happens to include dismemberment of people who don't review!! Oh god... 


	6. ahhhhhhhhh!

"I can not believe you actual came," Nikki said rolling her eyes as she opened the sliding glass door that led from her kitchen to her backyard.  
  
"Oh, come on! Its so cute!" I replied as we stepped out on her patio. I squinted as I looked over the sea of hyperactive five year olds, trying to find my little chums. I quickly spotted Jeremy from his red high-heeled shoes. He looked up and saw me waving. He tugged on his brother's sleeve, pointing at me. Bret tore his gaze away from his pile of presents and looked to me.  
  
"SHES HERE!! I told you guys she'd come!!!" Suddenly I was swarmed by the crowd of waist high mini people.  
  
"YOU told us a superhero was coming," A small boy with red hair and freckles said accusingly to Bret.  
  
"She is!!"  
  
"No she's not. She's a girl."  
  
I bent down to the small redheaded child and stared directly into his muddy green eyes, "No, your right. I'm not a superhero. I'm a supperheroin."  
  
"That's not a good as a real superhero." I looked to Nikki and made a fist as though suggesting we knock this little boy out. She nodded, and then changed her mind. She leaned in close to me and whispered a top-secret message in my ear. I nodded, knocking my head into hers.  
  
"So, who wants a flying piggy back ride?"  
  
I was immediately devoured by the crowd of children, tugging on me, begging for a turn.  
  
"Ok, ok. But girls first. Then boys."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Because girls are better then boys. The entire male species should be forced to live in doghouses outside and eat canned yams for breakfast lunch and dinner. Also, girls on average smell better than little boys."  
  
I selected my fist child; a girl with long blond hair and fair skinned who was wearing a blue party jumper with white stockings. She jumped on my back and wrapped her surprisingly strong arms around my throat, making it increasingly harder to breath.  
  
But who really needs to breath right? I glided a few feet in the air, floating above grass at a tremendously slow speed. She shrieked and strangled me even more.  
  
"Higher! Higher!"  
  
"How. About. Not." I gasped out from what little breath I had. Oh well, its just oxygen depravation. I'm sure it won't damage my brain to much, in five minuets I'm sure I'll still remember my name. Maybe.  
  
I never went any higher than seven feet in the air, and that was only to give the cheeky little redhead boy a scare. But the children loved it; I still have the heel marks in my side from Jeremy's stylish shoes. I actually like them. Maybe he'll let me borrow them sometime.  
  
Finally Nikki's mom saved me from oxygen depravation brain damage by bringing out an enormous cake in the shape of football and started rounding up the children to sing happy birthday. Nikki and I took this opportunity to sneak out through the back gate to the front of her house.  
  
"So, how is it to fly?" She asked me, not bothering to keep the note of jealousy from her voice.  
  
"Oh it so fucking incredible. It's like... absolute freedom. You can go wherever you want, and it doesn't take up energy so it's not tiring. Its like... imagine everything from a birds point of view. Looking down on buildings instead of up at them. And now imagine flying over a neighborhood, each little house neatly organized into its street. Its just amazing."  
  
We sat down in her front lawn, the grass lush and green from frequent watering.  
  
"You are so incredibly lucky. I'd give anything to get that rush."  
  
"Wanna?"  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Promise not to strangle me?"  
  
"Oh, no.. no. That's ok. I don't really know-"  
  
"Come on!" I jumped to my feet, dragging her with me.  
  
"It will be fun! Once you get into the air, you'll never want to come down!"  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of." I was about to give a surprised response when I heard-  
  
"Chere."  
  
I froze and my heart skipped a beat. I knew that voice. I hated that voice. I turned around and saw Ice leaning cooling against the rough trunk of a tree on Nikki's neighbor's lawn, calmly smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Nikki, leave."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Leave! Go; get your brothers and their friends inside. I don't want them in the crossfire."  
  
She backed up slowly, not taking her wide eyes off of us, then ran to her backyard, yelling for the kids to come inside. I stood unmoving, staring at Ice, waiting for him to speak, but he didn't.  
  
He gazed back at me, taking long deep drags of his cigarette. I looked to Nikki's house and saw twelve little sets of eyes staring at us through the front window.  
  
Finally, Ice sighed and flicked his cigarette way, crushing it out with the tip of his shoes. His long strides suddenly put him in fount of me.  
  
"Ice not very happy wid'y," He reached out to touch my face but I swatted his hand away. He lowered his eyes and smiled sadly.  
  
"Y' used t' let Icy touch y' a few months ago," He commented softly.  
  
"That was back when I was stupid, confused and retarted." I said, holding my ground.  
  
"Oh really?" He leaned in closer to me. "Ice been hearing rumors, chere. Rumors dat y' b' dating dat green boy. But dat b' wrong, non?"  
  
"The rumors are true," I said coolly, not breaking my eye contact with him. Ices body went ridged.  
  
"So, y' b' just a tease den non? Teasing poor Ice. Tell Ice chere, is green a good fuck?"  
  
"That's none of your business French fry."  
  
"Tell me!" He cried, getting angry, "Did y' sleep in his bed last night? Did y' fuck him?" He sent a blast of ice that narrowly missed my ear. I jumped back and got into a fighting pose.  
  
"Answer me!" A steam of ice met a blast of fire, both destroying each other in mid air.  
  
"No!" I summer salted away from Ices furious attacks.  
  
"Did he touch y'?" Vines sprouted from the ground to bind him down, but his ice froze them and snapped them. I heard a scream from inside the house.  
  
"Ice wants answer." He suddenly became very still and calm, "Did dat little green moter fucker get t' do all de tings Ice should have been able t' do?"  
  
My lips were set into a firm line. I refuse to answer him, even though I had never slept or done anything sexual with Beastboy, I refused to give into Ice. He must have taken my silence for a yes because he went fucking ballistic.  
  
Unleashing his powers all over the street, not aiming for anything unparticular. Trees cracked and split due to the weight of the ice and the once lush lawn was now us frozen blades of grass, the ice forming a tip at the top of the blade so it was more of a sea of needles. Ice swore in French and kicked the frozen tree, which shattered.  
  
I know that's kinda hard to imaging but it did. Shattered just like glass. I pushed Ice out of the way of the falling shards, just as he had done for me in our little frozen grocery store adventure. He gave me a weird look I couldn't quiet read, and then decided he wasn't done freezing stuff.  
  
He froze an entire car was about to do a number on a street lamp when I decided that I was tired of his hissy fit.  
  
"Ice! Stop!" He turned to look at me.  
  
"Dis isn't over chere. Not by a long shot. Dis isn't..." Then he stalked off and was gone. Should I follow him? No, I had bigger problems. I looked to the house where the kids and Nikki had been watching.  
  
Nikki wrenched open the front door and dashed to where I was standing, skidding on the icy pavement.  
  
"Naomi!! Are you ok? I was so freaking scared!!"  
  
"Yeah... sure..."  
  
My relationship with Ice is defiantly strange. Looking back, I suppose you could say I...well...liked him. But it was only a "little thing", but not anymore. Completely over. 100% over. Complete hate and revolution.  
  
Yeah....  
  
Riiiiing!  
  
Riiiiing!  
  
I put down my bowl of macaroni and cheese to check the caller ID on our phone. Goddamn! This person has called four times in the last day! Always looking for Cyborg.  
  
Bet she's a crazed fan girl he can't get rid of. I smiled evilly as I swallowed my last bit of macaroni. Don't worry Cy; I'll help you get rid of this one.  
  
Riiiing! I picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello? Katie's whorehouse. We put the F U in fun." I said as a person who ran a business would answer the phone.  
  
"Umm... yeah. Hi. Is Cyborg there?"  
  
"Hmmm, let me check." I leaned my head away from the phone and mock called for my not so little robot friend.  
  
"Ohh, I'm sorry. He's occupied with one of my sexual satisfaction employees. You might not want to interrupt them."  
  
"Yo, did I hear my name?" Cyborg poking his head into the kitchen looking at me weirdly. He saw my guilty expression and rushed over and looked at the caller ID and a look of absolute horror crossed his face.  
  
"Oh god! Naomi! Give me the phone!"  
  
"Isn't that Cyborg?" The voice on the other line asked confusedly.  
  
"No, I mean yes! I mean..." Cyborg snatched the phone away.  
  
"Hello? Yes....no... no! I swear that was just one of my friends being....no!"  
  
I grinned; his little fan girl must have her knickers in a knot, thinking Cyborgs getting laid by someone other than her. Then and idea popped into my fantastically complex brain. I decided to milk this amusement as long as I could.  
  
"Ohhhhhhhh Cyborg!" I moaned loudly, "Ohhhhhhh Cybaby! Fuck me HARDER!!" Cyborg shook his head furiously, his eyes wide in horror but I snatched the phone away and ran with it.  
  
"Naomi! You don't understand!" Cyborg called. But ignored him and continued to pant heavily into the phone as if Cyborg and I were having sex right then and there.  
  
"Ohhhhhh myyyyyy goooood! Cy! You please me in ways you cant imagine! Your just so big!" Cyborg chased me into the living room where Robin and Beastboy were eating veggie burritos and betting on who would throw up first. I dashed in front of them and pretended to have an orgasm over the phone.  
  
"Oh my fucking GOD!!! Ohhhhhh-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHH!!" Since I was done with my climax, I calmly handed the phone back to Cyborg, wanting to see how his fan girl would freak.  
  
"I'll call you back! Bye!" He slammed down the phone and sank down of the red sofa, burring his face in his hands.  
  
"Naomi? Do you have any idea who that was?"  
  
"A fan girl?"  
  
"No, that was my mom."  
  
"Oh... Oppie."  
  
StArRy- Naomi you bad girl!! I've wanted to work that joke in since I stared writing the series, I thought it was too funny.  
  
And yes brassbannana I am the same writer of all the Naomi stories. I love your name!  
  
I love the twins! But its really sad because Jeremy is a really messed up child from when... oh wait. I won't give it away but it's sad.  
  
Ice has gone ballistic, what else is new. Sorry for the shortness of this chapter.  
  
Please Review!! Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please (Breath) Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please!!!! 


	7. icy shower

Dun.... Dun.... Dundun.... Dun.... Dundun.... dundundundun! I looked up from painting my toenails to my communicator that was resting on my desk. I stood up slowly, so not to smudge the fresh paint on my nails and hobbled stiff leggedly over and picked it up. And right before it tolled the death march again, I flipped it open.  
  
"Naomi? Ok, so there's a situation Arrow River." Then the blankness of the screen took place where Robins had previously been.  
  
My god, dose no one say "hello" or "goodbye" anymore? I think Robin is still upset with me. We really haven't spoken much lately. I set the trinket down and hopped over to the window.  
  
Wait, do I need my boots? I'll get the polish all over them! I could just wear sandals.... Or go barefoot. Could I go barefoot? Its not like I ever walk anywhere anymore.  
  
Oh yeah, emergency at the river, right. Gotta go to that. I picked up some dirty socks that I had worn yesterday off my carpet and tugged them onto my feet, completely screwing up my pedicure, but oh well.  
  
My quick strides brought me to my open window that seems pointless to ever shut and literally jumped out. I smiled as I got the thrill of falling, and then pulled up a few feet from the ground. The simple pleasures of life. I flew in the direction of the river. I knew where it was, we all went intertubing there once, but I didn't go in the water of course.  
  
I'm not even sure why I haven't told my friends about my hydrophobia, its just.... embarrassing. Naomi's scared of a little water! It sounds so pathetic in my mind. I lost myself in my thoughts until I heard the roar of water below. I cringed as I looked down at the ragging waters; it was defiantly calmer when we had gone last month.  
  
Now it looked like a watery serpent, winding and crashing in the land below. I cautiously glided to the ground, where a small crowd of rescue officers and an ambulance stood, watching something intently. I landed on the muddy bank, looking around for my comrades, but they were nowhere to be seen.  
  
I tapped one of the paramedics on the shoulder. He gasped and sun around like I had been about to attack him. I suppose that line of work may make you a little paranoid.  
  
"Hi, I got a message to come here, what's wrong?" He looked to me and his shoulders relaxed a little. He pointed to the crashing river. A sporty red car was lodged between two boulders that were sticking up out of the water.  
  
A little boys face was mashed up against the window, as he screamed for us to help him. The car was flooding fast! The water was already at his chin! He saw me and banged his fists on the window and screamed that he couldn't breath.  
  
"His babysitter escaped from the car, we found her down stream. She's in critical care though. Nasty rapids, huh?" The paramedic yelled over the roar of water. The whole crowd saw me and everyone relaxed. One even smiled and asked another paramedic if their children were well.  
  
Oh, I see how it is. It was all okey dokey now. Naomi's here to swoop in and save the day. If she saves the little boy quick enough, there will be time for tea and bagels. Only one problem. Naomi doesn't like water. I looked stupidly at the water.  
  
"So what do you want me to do?"  
  
"Save him!" The paramedic yelled as if I had gone completely insane. I took a few steps toward the water. I shuddered as the icy spray of the churning rapids soaked my face. My knees locked, my very breath stopped. I stood there, hypnotized by the very thing that frightened me the most.  
  
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the thick dark waters. The water in the car had risen so high, that the boy's screams were now bubbles erupting from his mouth. The bystanders started yelling for me to save him, asking why I stopped.  
  
"I.... I cant!!" I yelled, covering my ears to block out there cries and the roar of water. I sank to my knees in the muddy bank.  
  
The small crowd realized that something was wrong and began to freak, running around like chickens with there heads chopped off. I looked to the car and saw the little boy had stopped screaming was swaying dreamily in the water, his dustily brown hair sweeping side to side as the car shook from the pull of the rapids. His eyes glazed as he stared at me unfocused.  
  
Oh god no.... I killed him. I murdered a little boy. I'm a killer. No.  
  
Then a blur rocketed past me. Robin! He took a flying leap and landed directly on the car. The impact of his jump loosened the car from the boulders and sent the car crashing downstream as Robin kept his balance on top. He used his own fist to smash open one of the windows and dragged the unconscious boy out on top of the car with him.  
  
I jumped up and ran down the side of the river, trying to keep up with the fastly moving car. Robin picked up the boy and waited for an opportunity to jump to the bank. And when he did, I was right there to meet him. I immediately took the boy from him and laid him flat on his back. The paramedics ran over and began to perform CPR on him.  
  
He spluttered out river water and cried out. Even though it was a terrified cry, it was a beautiful cry. The cry of life. Robin struggled to catch hid breath as I helped load the boy into the warm ambulance where he would get a heavy blanket and dry cloths. Even thought they didn't ask, the paramedics gave me weird looks, wondering why I didn't rescue the boy.  
  
I ignored them and waited until I was sure that he would be okay before walking back over to Robin. We silently turned and started walking towards the car, that had to be parked a long distance away form the river.  
  
"So, you want to tell me what happened back there?" Robin asked in his "it's no big deal that you screwed up" voice.  
  
It had all happened so fast. 60 seconds is all it took for Robin to be a hero and me to fuck up.  
  
"I don't know... I just choked I guess." He stopped suddenly and turned to face me, frowning slightly.  
  
"Naomi, don't fuck around. I've never seen you "just chock" when someone is in danger. Want to tell me the truth?"  
  
I looked to him and sighed, he could always get the truth out of me.  
  
"Well... you know..." I looked to the ground and kicked a small rock on the path, "You know how I once fell into a river.... and ever since then... I hate water."  
  
I felt so incredibly stupid. I must honestly be the stupidest person alive. Except for Ice.  
  
"Ohhhhhh." Robins said as if he had found last piece of a jigsaw puzzle, "Ohhhhh, I get it. That's why you never swim with us. And only take showers, not baths. Or-"  
  
"Yeah, I get it." I grumbled. He smiled at me,  
  
"Listen, its no big deal. We all have things that were scared of. You're actually lucky; you're frightened of a physical object. Some fears are more complicated."  
  
"What are you frightened of?" I asked interestedly.  
  
"Failing."  
  
"Wow. That is a hard one." I looked to him, wondering if he was still mad at me for the Jinx thing.  
  
"Robin, I've been such a-"  
  
"Yeah me to."  
  
"Can you forgive me?"  
  
"If you can forgive me." I smiled, I really love Robin. No, not that kind of love. The love you have for your brother. We finally got to the car.  
  
"Cyborg gonna kill you if you get all that mud in his 'little baby'," he commented, gesturing to my muddy state. I looked down and saw my muddy knees and shoes.  
  
"Yeah, I will certainly be murdered in a most unpleasant way."  
  
"And I'm not going back to the tower," He said unlocking to door, "I have to go with Star to some meeting."  
  
"Fine then, I'll just fly home so I don't dirty Cyborgs car and you and Star can go on your daaaaate!!" The tips of his ears reddened slightly.  
  
"Its not a date. It a meeting with the Security Board. But..." He smiled sheepishly, "We are going to a restraunt afterwards."  
  
"Oh, go Robin. What restraunt? Chucky Cheeses?" He stared at me,  
  
"What the hell is a Chucky Cheese?"  
  
I remembered the sad fact that Chucky Cheeses no longer existed.  
  
"Never mind wonder boy. Just have fun on your date." Then we went our separate ways.  
  
I pranced up to the main door of the tower, feeling happier than I had felt in days. I noticed a small yellow sticky note stuck on the door. I plucked it off and scanned the sloppy writing.  
  
Dear everyone,  
  
Cy and I left to go to a stripper's bar. Back whenever the chicks put  
their shirts back on. Ha ha ha. That was a joke. Actually are at an  
arcade. Or are we?  
  
BB  
  
I laughed as I pocketed the note. I shook my head as I entered the tower. So, no Beastboy, Cyborg, Robin, and Starfire. It's just me and a dark little bird.  
  
"Raven?" I looked around for any signs of my depressed chum. I groaned and entered the elevator.  
  
This is the one thing I hate about the tower. You have to scream your lungs out to find anyone. I went up level-by-level, sticking my head out and calling for Raven, but by the ninth level I gave up and assumed she went out with Seth or something.  
  
I scratched my arm and mud flaked off. Wow, I am one dirty girl. Shower time for Naomi. I passed my room on the way to the bath room and quickly stopped off in there to grabbed a change of cloths and my new sun kissed raspberries shampoo and conditioner.  
  
I'm not a big fan of raspberries but whatever. I locked the bathroom door behind me and stripped my dirty cloths. I turned on the water tabs of the shower and waited for it to warm up. I shivered and looked longingly to the shower, is it warm yet? I reached out my arm and felt the water.  
  
OW!! Ow, ok it is to hot! I adjusted the knobs until it was comfortably warm. I stepped in and sighed in contentment as the water warmed my body.  
  
I squeezed the shampoo into my palm and worked through my hair. I smelled the foam. Hey, maybe raspberries do smell kinda nice. I hope Beastboy likes it. I let the shampoo sit in my hair so the sent will cling longer. Then I rinsed. I looked down to my body and critically looked it over.  
  
I wonder of Beastboy thinks about my body. I think about his body, I bet its perfect. Unlike mine, which is completely- I yelped in surprise.  
  
The warm water was suddenly icy cold. I jumped out and found the floor to be just as chilled.  
  
"What the hell?!?" I reached out and touched the wall. It was freezing to the touch. My breath came out in misty puffs of steam. Someone was freezing the- oh my fucking god. It's like a nightmare that never ends. It's Ice.  
  
I was completely ferocious until I looked down and remembered I was also completely naked.  
  
NO! Nooooo! Not now! Anytime but now!! There was crashing in the living room below me.  
  
"CHERE!!" Ices voice bellowed from downstairs, "We b' wanting t' talk t' y'!"  
  
We? Whose we? I bent down to pick up my cloths, but was horrified to find that the ice had crept up through he floor and had frozen them to the ground. For a moment I thought I could just use my fire to heat them, but I could also burn them to ashes in the process. Its like someone hates me. Its like some higher being hates me and wants me to suffer.  
  
There was a huge crash from down stairs. Whoever Ice had brought defiantly had some muscle. What to do? Icicles formed on the ceiling.  
  
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!!" I wrapped my fluffy white towel around me that I had hung up earlier, out of reach of the ice.  
  
Ok, here the plan. I'll run down the hall to my room, get dressed, and then kick some Icy butt. Ok.  
  
I tried to turn the knob of the door, but it was frozen. I stepped back and kicked it with all my might. The door literally shattered from the ice and I adjusted my towel around me and stepped out. I glided out, looking around cautiously.  
  
Coast was clear. I glided silently down the hall. So close to my room. Just around the corner...  
  
"Where b' she?" Ice muttered from around the corner. Shit. I pressed myself against the wall.  
  
"Um, Ice?" I called in a small voice; "Don't turn the corner if you please."  
  
"Why?" he asked with a touch of amusement in his voice, and with that he poked his head around the corner and saw me in all my toweled glory.  
  
He was going to piss his pants laughing, but my death glare promised him a painful death if he did.  
  
"Chere? Y'....y' look funny." Ice struggled to not laugh and he covered his smile with his hand.  
  
"Thank you, now leave and rot in hell." Ice struggled to keep a straight face.  
  
"Désolé chere. Ice got higher orders."  
  
"What? Who....no. No, you didn't!"  
  
"Ice did. Ice now works for Monsieur Slade." I glared at him. "De one called Mammoth be down dere," he tilted his head and looked at me, "But Ice non so sure he want him here now." He smiled crookedly and tried to tug down my towel.  
  
"YOU LITTLE DUMB FUCK!!!" I yelled, jumping out of his reach.  
  
"Come on chere! Ice won't tell! Ice promise!!"  
  
"Pervert!"  
  
"Oui."  
  
"Get back!"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Retard!"  
  
"Merci"  
  
"I'm warning you..."  
  
"Come here..."  
  
He advanced on me and I tried to kick him in the shins but I aimed a little to high apparently. He crumpled to the floor, holding his crotch.  
  
"Enfer foutu! Ce mal! Chienne folle!!"  
  
"Well...that's what you get!"  
  
"Pourquoi l'enfer avez-vous fait cela? Chienne, ce mal!! Merde!"  
  
"Yeah... I meant to do that...."  
  
"Merde! Merde! Merde! Merde! Merde! Merde!"  
  
"Are you going to be ok?" He continued to lay there, eyes wide in pain as he swore in French. Should I leave to go get dressed? No, he might escape, or follow me or something.  
  
"Y'....y' shouldn't have done dat...."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Ice b' happy in pants when y' b' kicking."  
  
"Wha- ohhhh. Happy in your pants.... Dose that make it hurt more?"  
  
"Oui."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He looked so pitiful, all curled up on the floor like that. He looked up at me weakly.  
  
"Dat b' unfair chere. Dirty fighting. Non good kind of dirty, cheating dirty." Suddenly he looked up slyly at me, "Y' kiss it and make it feel better?"  
  
Even in excruciating pain he was perverted.  
  
"Why are you here?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes.  
  
"Ice got de letter from Monsieur Slade," he replied, struggling to his feet. He promptly dropped the letter and it fluttered to the ground. I bent over and picked it up.  
  
"De towel really ride up on y' chere," Then his eyes opened wide in pain.  
  
"Ice just got happy in pants again, but now it b' hurting t' get happy."  
  
I turned away so he wouldn't see my smile; he was funny when he was in pain. The loud stomping announced Mammoths arrival. His beady eyes fixed on Ice.  
  
"Time t' go ami." He said as he hobbled past Mammoth. Mammoth looked at from Ice to me, blinking stupidly.  
  
"I kicked your little pal in the balls," I explained cheerfully. Mammoth's apish face lit up and he let out loud grunts of laughter. I watched from a window them leave the island, Ice eventually collapsed from his sore package and got Mammoth to carry him the rest of the way to the city.  
  
It wasn't until I was done laughing at Ices expense did I remember Slades letter firmly griped in my fist. I smoothed out the wrinkles of the paper and unfolded it. My insides went cold and my heart skipped a beat.  
  
There were no words, just a picture.... of an alarm clock with a skull in the middle.  
  
StArRy- haaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaaaaaa! Ice got kicked in the groin!! And for those of you who don't remember, the clock and skull were from the little girl on the swings.  
  
IMPORTANT!! I'm thinking of starting a fan page on the net with characters from my story, but I just remembered, I CANT DRAW!!  
  
Can any of you draw out there in fanfic land? If you can, just email me the picts . It can be seens from my story, or portrait type drawings. You can go by the details from my story. I can guarantee almost all the picts will be posted. Unless it's like porn or something. My email- andromada1234hotmail.com. So just send them in please!!! 


	8. hotel

"What the fuck happened?" Beastboy asked, his bright green eyes widening in horror as he looked around the remains of our living room. The walls were slick with ice and nearly everything was smashed, picture frames, CDs, tables, everything. He bent over and looked at the shredded remains of our red sofa as Cyborg picked up what was left of our kitchen table, and then left to check on our electrical condition.  
  
"I had a visitor," I replied calmly. Raven picked her way through the mess, obviously looking for something. It was maybe twenty minutes after Ice and Mammoth left and ten minutes after I had used my communicator to tell my friends about our towers condition. I finally had cloths on. Robin looked around the room and swore loudly.  
  
"Ice I suppose," he said coldly, looking at the ice coated ceiling.  
  
"Plus Mammoth."  
  
"Fuck."  
  
"That fucking bastard froze all of our pipes and shorted all our electrical fuses," Cyborg said, reentering the room after his inspection, "We can stay here tonight."  
  
Starfire started wailing,  
  
"Our home! Our beautiful home! It is destroyed...."  
  
"No! No it's not Star!" Robin exclaimed, putting an arm around her, "We just need to clean it up, that's all. We just need somewhere to go, just for tonight." She nodded.  
  
"But Robin, to where will we occupy?"  
  
"A hotel I guess," I said, kneeling down and sifting through the rubble, looking for anything not completely totaled. Cyborg lifted the remains of the sofa,  
  
"Aw hell. NOW how am I ever going to find the remote?" I smiled faintly,  
  
"We should get one with a little beeper attachment to it. If we ever lose it, we can just press a button and it will beep so we can find it."  
  
"Hey, that's a good idea."  
  
"I'm full of them."  
  
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
"Ok, this is the girls room." Robin pointed to the room on the other side of the door, "And this is the guys room."  
  
We were at the Twinkle Inn, and had gotten a two-room suet, but only one bathroom unfortunately. Star sat on one of the beds, covering her face with her hands.  
  
"Our home. It is... how to say? Sick? No... but it is still unwell."  
  
"Please, it will be okay Starfire," Robin said, an expression on his face showing that Stars depression was killing him on the inside.  
  
"Yeah, Starry, well even make this fun!" I stared naming all the perks of staying in a hotel. "You can makes messes and other people clean it up. The hotel has a sauna, massage beds, work-out room-"  
  
"An indoor swimming pool."  
  
"Oh yeah... that too." I said uncomfortably. Robin gave me a concerned look, but didn't say anything.  
  
"I have no clothing but what I am wearing, and I know it is considered inappropriate to where the same article of clothing for 48 hours." Star continued.  
  
"Shit... I don't have anything either."  
  
"Me nether."  
  
"Doesn't this hotel have a gift shop or something? We might be able to buy some clothes there."  
  
"Yeah... It thinks I saw one by the lobby, it had sweatshirts and stuff. It would probably sell toothbrushes too."  
  
"Alrighty then. Lets go." I said in false cheerfulness, trying to make Star feel better.  
  
"You girls go, BB, Cy and I want to walk to the sports shop a block from here." Robin said.  
  
"Fine, you boys go obsess about whatever sport it is that you like."  
  
Raven, Starfire and I left the room, talking of how stupid guys are about sports. I turned one direction while Raven turned another.  
  
"Friends? You appear to be maneuvering your bodies in the incorrect direction." I looked to Starfire.  
  
"No Starry remember? We gotta go on elevator A."  
  
"No, its elevator C."  
  
"You are both misinformed, it is the elevator B that we must travel by."  
  
"No, its C."  
  
"A!!"  
  
"B!! I am sure of it!!"  
  
"You are all retarded! Its A!!"  
  
"C!!"  
  
"B!!"  
  
"C!!"  
  
"Split up!" I grinned deviously, "We split and whoever gets to the gift shop first is the winner."  
  
"Glorious! A race!"  
  
"That is the most pointless thing I've ever heard."  
  
"Yes it is. On your marks....get set....GO!!" Star and I bolted for our elevators while Raven rolled her eyes and calmly walked to hers and gently pressed the level one button. I jumped into mine and punched the button furiously. The doors glided shut and the elevator lurched into motion.  
  
"Come on! Come on!" I bounced up and down on my heels, impatient for the elevator to get to our destination. I pressed the level 1 button again. Come on!! Ding!  
  
The doors opened and I exploded out of them. I tore down the hall, giggling madly. I dashed past rows of doors, looking for any signs of the main lobby.  
  
I came to the end of the long hall and was faced with a crucial decision. Damn! Left or right? I pranced in place, looking down both halls. Which way? I made the final decision and dashed right. I don't ever turn left if I can help it. Why? I have no idea; I'm just weird like that.  
  
I ran full sped down the abandoned hall, past rows and rows of doors. Whizzing past the sauna and steam room. Then I saw it. At the end of the hall! The lobby!  
  
I raced down the hall and collided with Starfire to the ground. I rubbed my head and looked around. There! The gift shop!! I tried to scramble to my feet, but Starfire saw what I was doing and tackled me.  
  
Honest to god, sweet little Starry tackled me. I guess they take races seriously on her planet, but they do on mine, too.  
  
She tried to scramble over me, but I yanked her hair, causing her to fall back down. I laughed insanely and cause vines to bind her to the ground. I crawled a few feet ahead of her before she used her starbolts to free herself. Then she hurled a low powered starbolt at me, causing me to lose my balance and lurch forward.  
  
But before I fell, I managed to fling a nearby chair at her. She flew over it, giggling and pounced on me with a triumphant sheik, trying to push me back from the entrance to the gift shop. I smiled sweetly at her, then rolled over and used my feet to pry her off and sent her flying into the air.  
  
She fell ahead of me and laying on her stomach, reached her arms out as far as they would go, trying to touch the entrance floor of the gift shop. Oh hell no! I crawled over her and tried to pull her hand back. But it was to late. The tips of her fingers brushed the smooth tile inside Gifts Galore.  
  
"Aha! I am the victory of our race!"  
  
"Look again Star." She looked up and cried out in frustration as she saw Raven sitting calmly inside the store, looking extremely board.  
  
"What took you so long?" She asked, tapping her foot.  
  
I craned my neck and saw elevator C, right outside the lobby and a couple steps from Gifts Galore. I giggled at the irony and helped Star to her feet.  
  
"Now I suppose I must preformed 'the act of loss' to you Raven," she said glumly.  
  
"Maybe later Star," Raven said, gesturing behind us. We turned around and saw a wide-eyed crowd in the lobby, staring at us. Starfire turned to look at me.  
  
"As you would say, friend Naomi, 'Aw shit.'"  
  
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
"Then the manager almost kicked us out." I said into the phone. Although I couldn't see Nikkis expression, I'm she was laughing. I was sitting on the hotel bed, twisting the phone cord around my finger.  
  
"That sound like so much fun! I'd give anything to be a titan," She said wistfully, "I'm stuck babysitting Jeremy and Brett and Brett keeps beating up Jeremy."  
  
"Really? How sad!"  
  
"Oh and the highlight of the evening was when Jeremy put on one of my bra and refused to take it off." I laughed at the thought of little Jeremy dancing around in a lacy bra.  
  
"Well, it's not all its spiced up to be. Especially when Star's 'act of loss' involves sticking her head in the a bathtub full of water."  
  
"She did that?"  
  
"Yeah, the people of her planet do it when they lose or something."  
  
"Didn't Raven try to stop her?"  
  
"No! She just stood there waiting for Star to drown!! I had to drag Star out myself!"  
  
"It still sounds like fun."  
  
"Well, I guess it is. But Star said it wasn't too much fun until I came."  
  
"Yup, you funner than a barrel full of monkey."  
  
"I so am."  
  
"Monkeys with bananas."  
  
"Oh! Bananas are the shit man!"  
  
"The shit?"  
  
"Yeah, that means its cool."  
  
"Am I the shit?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Naomi! Get off the phone!! Each minute costs 75 cents!"  
  
"Okay Robin. Bye Nikki."  
  
"Bye." Click.  
  
"Come friend! Let us journey to the pool of water! Beastboy and Cyborg have already departed." Star rushed up to me, her hair still wet from the 'act of loss'.  
  
"Oh...well, I didn't buy a bathing suit." I didn't want to swim. I think Id rather be devoured by The Hungry Hungy Caterpillar. You know? From the children's book?  
  
"I noticed my friend! That is why I purchased an extra!" Shit.  
  
"Starfire, I think I'll pass-"  
  
"Please? Raven refuses to go with me. I do not wish to only go in the accompaniment of males."  
  
"Naomi doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to Starfire." Raven said calmly lying on the sofa, reading a little black book, "Naomi, stay here. Well watch a scary movie until you cry."  
  
Once again, I was torn between my two friends. I stood there, unsure of what to do.  
  
"Well, I will depart, join me if you later wish to friend." Star said, forcing a smile. Her shoulders drooped slightly and she looked to the ground. I looked at her and sighed,  
  
"Fine Star, I'll go for a few minutes." She clapped her hands and the glimmer in her eyes proved she had purposely made me feel guilty. I wondered who had taught her the guilt trip trick. Oh that's right. I did.  
  
"Wonderful! Allow me a moment of time to change to my suit of swimming." Imagine my horror when she pulled out male's swimming trunks.  
  
"Starfire NO! You can't wear that!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"That's a guys swimming suit."  
  
"Can I not wear it anyhow?" I slapped my forehead with my hand.  
  
"No, Star look." I picked up the suit and held it up to her. "See, it covers this key area," I pointed to her downward girly parts, "But not this key area." I pointed to her upward girly parts.  
  
"I thought it was considered acceptable to wear less clothing when swimming," Star said, like a small child questioning an adult.  
  
"Yes, but remember, it is important to ALWAYS keep the key areas covered. It's the law of Earth." Star was quiet a moment, then she looked to me.  
  
"Naomi? Please explain something to me. What is so repulsive about the human body that it has to be covered at all times?" I was stunned, I didn't really know myself.  
  
"Well, its not that it's repulsive..." I paused, "I'll explain it to you later Starry, okay?"  
  
"But how will I know of shame unless it is taught to me?" I looked into Starfires bright green eyes. She's so innocent. Like a child. Like a little girl learning about the world. Completely oblivious about the pains and sufferings in the world we are forced to live in.  
  
"Starfire, take my suit. I don't swim." I jumped at the sound of Ravens husky voice. I had forgotten she was here. Raven telekinetically floated Starfire her blood red suit. Star gave me one final look before heading into the bathroom to change. I sighed and bent down and rummaged through the bag of clothing until I found a black string bikini I assume was mine.  
  
"You don't have to swim," Raven said, calmly turning a page in her book, "I mean, if you're scared..." I dropped my suit in shock. I whirled around and faced Raven, my mouth dropped in surprise.  
  
"Wha- how do you-"  
  
"Its kinda obvious you're a hydrophobic," Raven said, not taking her eyes off the page in the book, "I senesced it the first time you told me about your river experience." I continued to stare at her, but smiled.  
  
"Yeah... I won't swim. I'll just go down by the pool for a while, and then come back up. We'll watch a scary movie. Just NOT the Opal. I'm still having nightmares."  
  
She smiled faintly, but stopped when Starfire emerged from the bathroom and announced it my turn to change. I changed into the black bikini and smiled. It was actually really cute. It had a small rine stone butterfly on the back of the bottom and one on the left cup.  
  
I met Star out in the hall way and we started walking toward the elevator. There was some temporary confusion to which elevator should be taken, but we didn't race this time. We were in bathing suits for crying out loud!! We might attract just a little too much unwanted attention.  
  
We finally decided on elevator C and stepped inside. I took the piggy tail holders out of my hair and pressed the level one button. I looked to Star and I felt a twinge of jealousy.  
  
She looked gorgeous. She ALWAYS looks gorgeous. She wakes up in the morning without a hair out of place. I don't mean to be a little jealousy; it's just a natural feeling. It's fine, just as long as it doesn't get out of control. A constant beauty battle between blondes and redheads. Who will win? Who knows? Starfire saw me looking at her.  
  
"Something the matter?"  
  
"No...I'm just tired."  
  
"Oh." Ding!  
  
We stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall until we could smell the smell of chlorine. A group of boys passed us as we walked towards the doors of the pool. Their heads turned as we passed. I refused to acknowledge their existence, sliming slyly.  
  
"Hey, its those Titan chicks." They stopped.  
  
"Hey babe, what's up?" A guy with sunglasses smiled at us. They looked older than us, like 19 or something. He wiggled his eyebrows at us. Star looked up to the ceiling.  
  
"No Starfire, its just an expression." I explained.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So, you girls going to the pool?"  
  
"Uhuh."  
  
"Maybe we'll join you."  
  
"Maybe you will." I turned coolly away and Star latched on to my arm, giggling spazily.  
  
"Star! Chill out!" I hissed out of the corner of my mouth. We turned the corner out of view of the boys and I erupted in laughter.  
  
"Star, that guy with the sunglasses was so checking you out!"  
  
"Negative, it was you he was looking upon with lust!" We giggled and opened the glass doors to the pool. The warm moist air from the pool blasted on my face. I breathed in the humid air and sloshed my toe in some pool water that had collected on the tile.  
  
"CANNONBALL!" Beastboys cry was followed with a huge splash. Water flew in all directions. I flicked some water off my face to Starfire. But she looked confused.  
  
"A 'cannonball'?" Cyborg was lying on one of the lawn chairs next to the pool, looking wistfully at the water. Poor Cy. He can't swim. It would make the machine part of him go phazzizle. Robin was sitting in the small hot tub; looking at the letter Slade had given me.  
  
Usually I'm stupid and don't tell my friends when something happens until its too late. But I recently took a break form being stupid and told them exactly what had happened with the little girl on the swings and the letter.  
  
"Time with a skull," he murmured, "What can it mean?" He looked up and spotted us. Naomi? Come over here for a sec."  
  
I walked over to him, keeping a healthy distance from the edge of the pool and squatted down.  
  
"Any luck, oh fearless leader?" He sighed,  
  
"No, but can you tell me again what happened with the little girl? Try to remember everything." I sighed and rolled my eyes. This must be the hundredth time I've retold this event. I told him everything I could remember.  
  
"She kept saying something about having too much time, but not enough at the same time." He nodded curtly and contained pondering.  
  
"Please Robin. Relax. Do not continue with your workings." Star slipped into the pool beside him. He smiled and put his arms around her, the letter forgotten.  
  
"I'm leaving." I announced.  
  
"That's nice Naomi." Robin said dreamily, looking into Stars eyes. I walked over to Cyborg and sat down next to him and started loudly discussing how crazy Robin is. Suddenly icy cold water splashed all over me. I shirked and Beastboy laughed insanely and jumped back to the safely of the pool.  
  
"I'm going to fucking kill you! You little bastard!" I chased him to the side of the pool, but stopped at the edge.  
  
"Get your little green ass back here!" I commanded. He swam to the middle of the pool.  
  
"Come and get me Naomi!"  
  
"Yeah Naomi!" Cyborg said laughing, "Spank him good!" Beastboy ginned at the thought.  
  
"Come on in the water with me Naaaaaaomi," He said softly, obviously hopping I would indeed spank him  
  
"Uhhhh. No."  
  
"What? Why?" he looked hurt.  
  
"I...don't want to get my hair wet." When I said that Beastboy immediately knew something was wrong. He climbed out of the pool; I couldn't help but notice how the water ran down his body. He steered me into the hall outside the pool.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I told you. I don't want to get my hair wet."  
  
"Don't lie to me." He wrapped his arms around me and looked directly into my eyes.  
  
"What's really wrong? Is it me?"  
  
"What? No!" I was shocked, "No, its just..."  
  
"Just what?" I looked into his green eyes. I love his eyes. He's got the most entrancing eyes I've ever seen. Such a lovely forest green. The outside of the color part is a darker green, and then lightens as it draws closer to the jet-black pupil. I love his eyes. They are completely green. Not dirtied by any other color. Just the rich green. He looked so.... sexy with his concerned look on his face, with water trickling down his chest.  
  
I couldn't lie to him. I put my arms around his neck and told him about my river experience. He listened calmly and when I was done, he had the same reaction as Robin did.  
  
"Ohhhh. That explains a lot." He grinned at me, looking relived that it wasn't him that was bothering me. Then.... I noticed something. When I had first come, Beastboy had been a couple inches shorter than me, and kind of skinny. Now, I had to look up at him. And his arms and shoulders were broadening.  
  
I also saw the fait traces of hair on his upper lip. Beastboy and I were the youngest of the team, being a year younger that Robin and two years younger than Cyborg. Beastboy used to be the kid of the team, completely immature and goofy. But now, before my eyes, I watched him maturing, not only physically, but also mentally. I reached out my finger and ran it over his upper lip hair.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You got lip hair."  
  
"Really?" His used his own finger to feel. "Should I shave it?"  
  
"No! Its cute!!" He hugged me tighter.  
  
"You want to go up to the room?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Oh and Naomi?" I turned to him. He licked he back of his hand and wiped his spit on my cheek, like he had done the first day we met. I shrieked and chased him to he room, using the stairs, because we still had no idea, which elevators went where. We finally got up to the room and called a truce.  
  
He got out our hotel room card and tried for at least five minutes to open the door. Finally we gave up and banged our fists on the door until Raven opened it.  
  
"Oh... you brought him." I remembered that Raven wanted me and her to watch a movie, alone apparently.  
  
"Oh yeah, sorry Rae, we can still watch-"  
  
"No, its fine. I'll leave you two alone." She slunk off down the hall to do whatever the hell she doses. As soon as she left I whished she didn't. Now I was all alone with Beastboy...in a hotel room. Not good for two hormonally stressed teenagers. Beastboy rubbed his neck with his hand.  
  
"So... want to watch some TV?"  
  
"Sure." He lay on the bed and flipped on the TV. I hesitantly laid down next him and let my back conform to the curve of his chest. He ran his fingers through my hair and rubbed my side with his other. His hand slowly moved from my side to my back. Then I felt his fingers rub up underneath my bikini strings, not undoing it, just under. He kept rubbing, slowly moving his green fingers closer and closer to my frontal area.  
  
I didn't know if he noticed he was doing this, but I stared to feel uncomfortable. I squirmed out of his reach and saw a hurt expression in his face.  
  
"Sorry BB, its just..."  
  
"No, its ok. I understand." He directed his gaze to the TV, but his eyes clearly went focusing on the screen. I tried to cuddle with him again, but he really wasn't trying. I looked up at him. He really has changed. His face had already lost its youthful roundness and had stared developing a strong chin and squarish cheekbones.  
  
He had started to lose his small button nose to a stronger manlier nose. His hair was growing longer and he didn't seam to gel it as much. He noticed my gaze and put a broad arm around me. He wasn't a little boy anymore. Emotionally or physically. He had adult desires now.  
  
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
StArRy- defiantly a character development chapter. I love BB being a goofy kid, but everyone grows up. NavynBabyBlueSuedeShoes- that was one gross conversation young lady!! Hehehe! I'm posting it on my bio!!! I read it and I was all, ice you perv. It made me laugh. Thanks!! 


	9. Rest in peace dear friend

Ravens normally dull eyes widened.  
  
"Did you and Beastboy-"  
  
"No!!" I said quickly, "At first we just cuddled, then we go...um...slightly more intimate, but no full bounty. Not even halve a bounty. Maybe a quarter."  
  
"I see." Raven said smirking slightly. She took a sip of tea. Not taking her eyes off of me.  
  
"Stop looking at me like that, nothing happened in the hotel room I swear."  
  
"I always knew you two would get together."  
  
"No you didn't, liar."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"No-"  
  
"LIAR!!"  
  
"Naomi-"  
  
"LIAR!!"  
  
I smiled happily, that is until she telekinetically hurled a coffee creamer at me. We were in the hotel dining room having breakfast. It was truly a wonderful sight. There was row upon row of buffet cart, each stacked with all sorts of yummy foods. I love breakfast. It's my favorite.  
  
Cyborg and Beastboy walking in, chattering about something stupid. Cyborg looked over to me, grinning evilly, and made spanking motions with his hands. I returned a hand motion as well, although much more offensive. Beastboy turned to Cyborg just as he flipped me off, and punched him playfully in the arm. Raven must have wanted part in this ordeal because seconds later, Cyborgs face had a bowl of yogurt on it.  
  
Beastboy laughed, then hurried away to stack as much food as physically possible onto one plate. He made his way over to Ravens and mine table, stepping carefully so his tower of pancakes, hash browns, doughnuts, fruit, bagels, waffles, French toast, normal toast, rye toast, cream puffs(is that even a breakfast food?), cinnamon rolls and orange juice wouldn't come crashing to the ground, which would be truly disastrous.  
  
"Sooo ladies," he said in his best pimping voice, "How are you this morning?"  
  
"Better now!" I said cheerfully, looking over to Cyborg who was franticly trying to get the yogurt off his head. Beastboy looked to his friend and chucked.  
  
I did a double take, and my eyes must have doubled their normal size.  
  
"BB! You just.... _chuckled_."  
  
"Yeah? So?" He started wolfing down his food.  
  
"Never mind...."  
  
"She means to say you've always had to high and too girly of a voice to 'chuckle' before," Raven said bluntly.  
  
"Well just call me Mr. Chuckles," Beastboy said grinning. He tried chuckling again, but he couldn't force it, he ended up sounding more like he was having a heart attack.  
  
"Beastboy, stop, you sound before someone calls paramedics." I said, grinning. He shrugged,  
  
"Well, Mr. Chuckles needs more food." He got up and left to get another plate full.  
  
"Dear god, where _dose_ that boy put it all?" I asked Raven, who had a strange expression on her face.  
  
"What?" I asked, tilting my head at her.  
  
"Your right," She said slowly, "He has changed..."  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
Thank god it only took two days for the cleaning crew to thaw and rebuild our tower. I love Star and all, but if you have too much 'girl time' with her, you begin to think violent thoughts.  
  
I stepped into the tower and it looked the same, but... it smelled different. It smelled of freshly shaven wood and fresh paint, not of its usual smell of stale potato chips and cooking experiments gone wrong.  
  
"It looks exactly the same!" Robin said cheerfully, leading Starfire inside, who had been covering her face with her hands, afraid to see our house 'sick'. Star uncovered her eyes.  
  
"Oh! Our home has made a complete recovery! And got new enamel finish!" She said, gesturing to its fresh coat of paint.  
  
I walked over to our new red sofa. It looked exactly the same as the old one, but with less soda stains. I sat down on it cautiously. It felt different. Much to firm and new. I got up and inspected our kitchen and bathroom. Both seamed to be in order.  
  
But something seamed different. I could _feel_ it.... Like some thing was missing and it was so obvious.... Then I realized.  
  
"Oh NO!!!" I shirked, loud enough to wake up the entire city. Robin, who had been dozing on the couch, woke with a start, falling off the sofa. Starfire was at my side in an instant and Beastboy flew inside as a bird from an open window.  
  
"_What_!?!?" They all cried at exactly the same time, which would have actually been funny under different circumstances.  
  
"What's wrong?!?" Beastboy repeated, resuming human form.  
  
"Crusty!!" Everyone cringed, and looked to the empty tank.  
  
"Oh...yeah..."Robin said, rubbing his head from the fall off the sofa, "One of the workers told me that...his tank got.... frozen.... he kinda died."  
  
"_Kinda_ died!?!? You don't just _kinda_ die!!!" I said shaking with furry, "It was a _murder_!!"  
  
"Naomi, please, it wasn't a-"  
  
"MURDER!! THAT MOTHER FUCKER MURDERED MY LOBSTER!!"  
  
Cyborg stifled a laugh at my 'making a seen', and turned away so I wouldn't see his smile, but I did anyway.  
  
"Don't you be smiling you little fucker!!! This isn't funny!!!"  
  
"Of course not," Beastboy said quickly, removing his shoe and hitting Cyborg in the face with it, leaving the design of the bottom of Beastboys shoe imprinted on Cyborgs face.  
  
"What did they do with his body? Did they keep it for evidence?" I asked Robin quietly. He scratched his head, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"Naomi, no one is going to press charges for the murdering of a lobster. They threw it out in the garbage."  
  
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
"You can pick whichever one you want."  
  
I pressed my face up to the glass.  
  
Puppies chasing their tails. "No."  
  
Kittens lazily flexing their claws. "No."  
  
Birds twittering their songs, flapping their colorful wings. "No."  
  
Hampers running for miles on their squeaky wheels. "No."  
  
Fish darting through the water, each bright scale catching the light. "No."  
  
I looked up to Robin and sighed.  
  
"None of them are right." I said sadly. Robin rubbed his head.  
  
"Come one then...lets go."  
  
I stood up and was about to leave Pet Palace when something caught my eye. I bent down to look at it.  
  
"He's perfect." I said smiling.  
  
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
"Oh my fucking god Naomi." Ravens eyes got so wide, she almost looked fully conscious. Maybe I should bring home an albino chicken everyday. It might do her good.  
  
"You got a chicken. Of all the animals...you got a chicken."  
  
"An albino chicken!! His name is Fred. Even though I recently learned that he is a she, I'm still calling her Fred."  
  
Cyborg entered the room, looked at the completely white chicken on a leash, and then left very quickly.  
  
"How rude. Don't pay attention to him Fred!" I bent down to his eye level. "He's just a stupid bastard."  
  
"Naomi! Cyborg has informed me of a chicken occupying this residence, but I am sure he must be making up untrue stories for his amusement, because I dislike chi-"  
  
Starfire looked to Fred.  
  
"Naomi! You know since the pox of chickens I do not wish to be in the same vicinity as chickens! I do not wish to be infected with the pox of chickens again!"  
  
"Calm down Star!!"  
  
"No! I wish him to leave this instant!!"  
  
"STAR!! Seriously!! Calm down, no sudden movements!"  
  
But it was too late. Fred went ballistic. He stretched out his neck, his bright red eyes opened wide and ran full speed at Starfire. She shirked and flew in the air.  
  
"I tried to tell you!!" I screamed over Starfires shrikes and Fred's mad clucking, "Chickens sense fear, then attack!!"  
  
"Robin!! Rid me of the presents of the chicken!"  
  
"No Robin! I love him! He's just misunderstood!!"  
  
"Robin!! Please get rid of it!!"  
  
"Do and I'll kick your ass! So will my chicken!!"  
  
"Robin!"  
  
"No!!"  
  
"Robin!!"  
  
"No!!"  
  
"Robin!!"  
  
"Whatever," Raven said dully from the corner. Robin looked from Starfire to me to Fred.  
  
"Ok, Naomi, lets review some facts. Why did Fred's former owners disown him?"  
  
"Because they're stupid!! And she kinda ate her own chicks."  
  
"I see...." Robin massaged his temples. "Star, come down here."  
  
She started to float down, but Fred sped to the spot she intended on landing, looking up at her expectantly, beak opened wide as if she intended on swallowing Starfire whole.  
  
"Look what you did Star!! You showed him you were afraid! Now he wont stop until your dead."  
  
Star wailed and promptly dropped her porcelain figure of the dark angel of death on Fred's head. It landed with a thunk on her birdie head and shattered.  
  
Fred blinked, and shook her head calmly to get the shards off. Fred craned her head, trying to reach Star.  
  
"No! Beast of Flightless poultry! You shall be banished to no return!!"  
  
She looked hopefully at Robin. Oh no!! She's giving him that look! No!! He's caving in!!  
  
"I'll keep him in the storage room!" I said suddenly, "Please Robin!! I _swear_, she'll be good! She'll stay there and not kill your girlfriend! I promise!!"  
  
Robin looked to Starfire.  
  
"I suppose its possible." She said softly, not taking her eyes off the bird.  
  
"Yayyyy! Fred's staying!!" I picked him up into a big hug, and got my forehead pecked a few times in the process.  
  
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
"Happy day of love and cards!!" Starfire exclaimed as she showered everyone with multiple Valentines Day cards. I opened one of the ten addressed to me. It read, 'Your puuuuurfect valentine!!'. And on the inside was a picture of a cat dressed up as cupid.  
  
"See! See! Because cats make vocal cord vibrations in the form of a purr!" Star said pointing excitedly.  
  
"Robin had to explain it to ya, huh?" I said knowingly.  
  
"Well, yes, but that is not the point of the matter. The point is that we all share love and friendship of this day of Cupid."  
  
"My turn to share the love." I said brightly, causing everyone to cringe, thinking I was going to poison them. But they're silly!! I'm saving the poison for April Fools day!!  
  
I handed out everyone the huge boxes of chocolates I had bought.  
  
"I took out the chocolate guides from under the boxes so you wont know what kind your biting in to!" I exclaimed brightly.  
  
"Wow, what an adventure seeker." Raven said dully.  
  
But even Raven had gotten into the spirit of Valentines Day. She had shown her love for all of us by buying us all Dark Angel of Death figurines. They Dark Angels appeared to be eating the heads of small children. Raven is such a sweet, charming young girl.  
  
Robin was next, giving everyone a solid chocolate heart, except for star, which got a gold one attacked to a necklace.  
  
"Why dose she get jewelry?" I mock whined, "Why don't me and Raven get gold hearts?"  
  
"Because your chicken tried to kill Starfire and Ravens busy eating the heads of small children!" Robin said bluntly.  
  
"I don't eat the small children. The Angel of Death dose," Raven said simply, "Anyway, I'd kill who ever dared."  
  
But that wasn't exactly true. Seth made it out alive after showing up after lunch and giving Raven black roses and some weird voodoo doll. It was creepy. The doll had blond hair and blue eyes and looked very familiar.  
  
"Who is that doll supposed to be replicating?" I asked as if I had no idea it was me. He smirked scarily at me and began mercilessly stabbing voodoo doll Naomi with torcher pins.  
  
I shirked in mock pain, pretending to have felt the voodoo. I clutched my leg and fell to the floor. Seth arched and eyebrow and ceased. I stood up quickly.  
  
"Who did that?"  
  
"Your friends retarded." Seth said rolling his eyes.  
  
"Hello? I'm still here Seth!! You could at least voodoo me to death before talking shit about me!"  
  
"Yes, she's like a dog. The dumber they are, the more you like them." Raven said dully.  
  
"Oh she's your dog, huh?"  
  
"Hello? Do I _look_ like a dog to any of you?"  
  
"Can you teach her tricks?"  
  
"She's doing one now, she's whining."  
  
I looked at her critically.  
  
"You know what? I think I'll sick my chicken on you."  
  
Seth rolled his eyes and began stab the doll again.  
  
"I don't need this abuse." I said, and exited the room.  
  
Now, where is my little green friend? Where is my Beastboy? I started searching the tower.  
  
"Beeeeeastboooooy? Where is yooooooou?" I called.  
  
"He's in his room," Cyborg said sadly. I looked over to Mr. Metal, sitting all alone next to the kitchen window. The news of him having a mechanical penis must have died out and become yesterdays news. He was lonely again. Poor guy. I abandon my search for Beastboy to talk to Cyborg.  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"You tell me." He looked to me and sighed  
  
. "Naomi, tell the truth, am I.... _ugly_?"  
  
"What? No!" I looked at him in shock, "No Cyborg, look at you! You are ripped to the max man!! Look at that brawn!!"  
  
He didn't look convinced.  
  
"I wish I was human again," he murmured. I did a very strange thing. Sarcastic and dry witted Naomi put her arms around Cyborg and hugged him.  
  
"Its not how you looks that makes you human Cyborg, Look at Slade. He may have flesh and blood, but he is a monster. You don't need looks to be loved, just be yourself and you'll find a great girl." He sighed an enormous sigh that lifted me off the ground while hugging him.  
  
"Thanks Nomi homi."  
  
"Anytime G dawg."  
  
StArRy- IMPORTANT!! Ok, I'm going to tell all you now, the next chapter is really gross! Really funny, but really gross! I was writing it and I was all Ewwww! I can't believe I'm writing this!!  
  
Sorry for the shortness of the chapter. It's kinda a little bit two in the morning. 


	10. jars of inappropriate things

Hospitals. I looked around the dull waiting lobby. The walls were a dull off white and the florescent lights hummed softly. There were rows of small cushiony chairs for people waiting. That's all this room was. Waiting.... Waiting for good new. Waiting for bad news. Waiting for the arrival of a baby, or the loss of a loved one. There were a few people in the lobby with us.  
  
One young man in particular was pacing obsessively, every few minutes going up to the front desk and asking the receptionist if there was any new news on the condition of his girlfriend. The answer was, alas, no.  
  
The door leading to the critical care hall opened. The young man looked up hopefully, but the medic walked over to us.  
  
"Mr. Baxter is still unconscious unfortunately. The doctors have no idea when he'll wake, but we'll page you when he dose. So just hang on."  
  
"To what?" Starfire asked absentmindedly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Two what shall we 'hold on' to?"  
  
"Its just an expression Star." Raven and I said together in tired voices. The medic scribbled some notes on his clipboard, then made his way back up to critical care.  
  
"So, why are we here again?" Asked Beastboy, looking at some old magazines from the front desk.  
  
"Well, this man, Mr. Baxter, might be a victim of Slades," Robin said, looking over Beastboys shoulder to the magazine, "He's a biochemist, he was working on a genetic mutation experiment on some sort of insects. This morning he was found in a lab outside of Gothem, badly injured."  
  
"Experimenting on buggies? How excruciatingly dull." I commented, looking to the clock, it was 8:56am. We had already been waiting for twenty minutes! No, I must work on being patient. I sat down next to Beastboy.  
  
And when the clock read 8:57, I had become completely board.  
  
How much longer? I'm only young once ya know. And this whole being a superhero thing must take a couple years off your life. Better live it up while I can. I elbowed Beastboy.  
  
"Lets go," I whispered, "Maybe we'll find where they keep all the extra body parts!!"  
  
He nodded and we slipped away unnoticed. We left the lobby and walked into the main part of the hospital. We turned and made our way down a long white hall.  
  
"Where oh where do they keep them?" I asked, looking at Beastboy, "Hmmmm, if I was a preserved body part, where would I vacation too?"  
  
"Here," Beastboy said calmly, pointing to door labeled 'Preservitory'.  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked doubtfully.  
  
"Yeah, one Robin and I had to come her and examine a finger that had been infected with some strange alien bacteria. I forget what it was called. Something spore related."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Wait until you see it! It's so fucking awesome!!" He carefully looked over the door. I juggled the doorknob.  
  
"It's locked!" I said in a sad voice.  
  
"Not for long," Beastboy said grinning.  
  
He winked at me, then transformed into a flea. I could just barley see the little speck that was Beastboy, zoom around my head then fly into the keyhole of the door. I waited; taking nervous glances around the hall to make sure no one was coming. The door made a soft click as Beastboy unlocked it on the other side.  
  
"_Hurry_!" I hissed.  
  
"_Ok_!" He hissed mockingly back as he opened the door. I rushed into the pitch-black room.  
  
"Where's the-"  
  
"Shhhh!"  
  
"Oh, sorry," I dropped my voice, "Where's the light switch?"  
  
"Hold on, hold on." Beastboy brushed up against me as he groped the wall for the switch.  
  
"Foooound it."  
  
**Click.  
**  
An eerie faint green glow cast across the room. It was like a library! A library of jars, resting on shelves. I looked closer. Jars filled with body parts!! I felt like a child at Christmas.  
  
"_Ewwww_! Look! Its so gross!" I exclaimed gleefully, "How fun!!"  
  
Beastboy pranced around the room, inspecting each jar as if it was filled with gold.  
  
"Oho! Sweet!" He turned the corner and was out of my sights. I bend down, looking at a toe. It floated pleasantly in its preservation juices, looking like a small pale pickle. A small pickle with a nail attacked.  
  
"Naomi! Look over here!" I bent down, and moved a jar to see Beastboy's face on the other side of the shelf.  
  
"Look!" He handed me a jar.  
  
"Ohhh! A heart!!" He smiled,  
  
"I gave you a heart, and its after Valentines day."  
  
"Your just a considerate boyfriend I guess."  
  
"That I am." We continued our search of body parts.  
  
"Oh! Look! A spleen!"  
  
"_Wohhhh!_ I didn't know that tonsils were so bumpy!"  
  
"Look! Over here!!"  
  
"No, look over here!"  
  
"No, get your butt over her and look at the nose!"  
  
"But there's an eyeball over here!"  
  
"Really?" I started to make my way to look at the eyeball, but something caught my eye. I stared at if for a few moments, then erupted in giggles.  
  
"What?"  
  
"LOOK!!" I giggled again. He walked over to my shelf and stared.  
  
"Naomi, that's not even funny."  
  
"Yes it is! I bet some angry wife chopped it off!" I giggled at the pickled penis. Beastboy groaned in emotional pain, probably imagining the horror of separation from his male hood.  
  
"Poor guy. Who ever it used to be the proud owner of this penis. I salute you." Beastboy saluted, acting like this guy was some brave hero for enduring this separation. I looked at it a little more closely.  
  
"Are they always that wrinkly?" I asked with the innocent air of a child. Beastboy stared at me.  
  
"You are the weirdest."  
  
"No, really. Is it?"  
  
"Well..." he thought for a moment, "It depends."  
  
"On what?"  
  
"The mood of the guy."  
  
"Ah, I see." I picked up the jar.  
  
"Poor poor guy." Beastboy murmured. I turned the jar and looked at the back, reading a small label attached to the jar. I burst out laughing.  
  
"You can stop sympathizing BB, this guy had it voluntarily cut. It was a sex change." Beastboy snatched the jar out of my hand. His eyes darted back and forth, reading the label.  
  
"Well what do you know? It was a sex change."  
  
"I'm keeping it," I said suddenly. Beastboy almost dropped the jar in shock.  
  
"WHAT?!?!"  
  
"Shhhh! I said I'm keeping it!"  
  
"_No your not_!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well for one it's stealing. And two... it's a penis Naomi!" He said, with a touch of amusement in his voice.  
  
"So? If you can have one, so can I. Its only fair." He buried his face in his hands.  
  
"And just when I thought we were starting to grow up," He said, laughing soft.  
  
"I am. I desire a penis, just like any other mature girl."  
  
"They usually prefer one _attached _to a guy. But you of course, would rather one _severed_ and _pickled_ in a jar." I noticed the bitterness in his voice. Ohh, was that what this was all about? He was getting jealous, thinking I would rather want a penis in a jar over his. I hugged him,  
  
"For your information mister, I like the one attached to you just fine. Wow, that sounded really wrong Naomi."  
  
He smiled and gave me a peck on the cheek.  
  
"Its ok, I understand what you meant. Come on," He gave a sigh, "Lets get out of here with your new penis before we get caught."  
  
I smiled at the victory of getting my way and followed my very favorite person in the whole world, back to the door. We opened the door quietly, taking cautious glances around the hall.  
  
"All clear," I whispered as I flicked out the light. We tiptoed out, my clutching my jar tightly, and just when we thought we had gotten away with it-  
  
"What are you two doing?" I nearly jumped out of my skin. A young female doctor in a white lab coat was eyeing us behind her slender glasses.  
  
"What are you two doing?" She repeated.  
  
"We...we..." Beastboy looked to me desperately.  
  
"I wish to purchase this," I said calmly, holding up the jar for all to see. At first Beastboy gasped and covered his face, then decided that he might as well help.  
  
"Yeah... how much?" He asked lamely.  
  
"I'm s-sorry, b-b-but t-that's n-not for sale," She was trying so hard not to laugh, you could hardly understand her.  
  
"Then _why_ was it in the gift shop?" I asked, desperately trying to think of plausible reasons for me to think that a penis in a jar would be for sale.  
  
"Gift shop?"  
  
"Yes," I gestured to the preservitory, "A hospital gift shop. You can buy spare organs for out of this world prices!!" She shook her head, causing a few strands of her shiny red hair to fall out of her tight bun on the back of her head.  
  
"Let me see the jar please." She said, with her hand outstretched. I reluctantly handed my souvenir to her. Her green eyes scanned the label.  
  
"This penis is actually expired. In the past we used it for medical demonstration for the interns, but we do have quite a few more-"  
  
"Angry house wives?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose."  
  
"So, I can buy it, right?" She adjusted her glasses.  
  
"Well, like it told you, it is expired. And practically worthless-"  
  
"Aren't they all?" I couldn't resist saying that. She smiled while Beastboy made a sound of defensiveness.  
  
"So, it will be $2.50 for the jar and...about $100 for the preserve liquids."  
  
"Sold! Charge it to the Titan bill!" She shook her head, laughing, as if we reminded her from her younger days. But probably not too much younger, she was, like, only twenty-five years old.  
  
"Its so nice to see that the cities tax dollars go to the buying of penis."  
  
"And it's so nice to see that I risk by butt everyday!" I said cheerfully, gently reminding her that I do risk my butt everyday.  
  
"Yes, and that is the reason I am making an exception for you to be able to buy a preserved penis. Have a nice day you two." She walked down that hall laughing and shaking her head. I danced around with my jar like a loon.  
  
"Come on BB! Lets show EVERYONE!!"  
  
"Whose everyone?"  
  
"You know, the others. Nikki. Some random people on the walking down the street...."  
  
Beastboy laughed, and grabbed my hand as we ran down the hall, back to the others. We burst into the lobby. Everyone was crowed around Robin, and was working on a crossword puzzle from the newspaper.  
  
"A five letter word for a South African Monkey? Who writes this shit?" Raven asked, looking at the cross word from over Cyborgs shoulder.  
  
"You guys!! You guys!! I got a _penis_!!" I exclaimed, not bothering to keep my voice down. My friends froze, and slowly turned to look at me.  
  
"Repeat that last statement, please?" Starfire said in a daze.  
  
"I got a penis! And it's HUGE!!"  
  
"What the-"  
  
"Ta da!!" I held up my jar for the entire lobby to see.  
  
"Oh my _god_..." Raven said, the faintest of smiles creeping onto her face. But Robin was less amused.  
  
"_Or image!!"_ he hissed, literally tackling me to the floor, covering the jar with his cape. In my opinion, it worst for our image for Robin to be tackling me than for me to have a pickled penis, but I don't think now is the time to tell him. Beastboy was standing off to the corner, roaring with laughter.  
  
"Where did you get it?" Asked Robin, still covering the jar with his cape.  
  
"I bought it off a doctor for one hundred and two dollars, and fifty cents.  
  
"_A hundred dollars_!?!? You spent a _hundred dollars_ on a penis?!?!"  
  
"I'm not a cheap pimp."  
  
Robin was about to say something probably very rude, but then the medic from before came up to us.  
  
"Titans? Mr. Baxter had awakened. He seems very upset."  
  
Raven, Starfire and Cyborg stood up, and I tried to follow, but I couldn't due to the fact that Robin was kinda sitting on me. He got up, and helped me to my feet.  
  
"Oh my god.... A penis in a jar. Only you Naomi."  
  
He smiled a little as he handed back my jar and we followed the medic down the critical care hall. We walked past rows of doors, all containing someone life from within.  
  
The medic stopped short, casing me to bump into Robin. I could hear someone yelling from the other side of the door. I glanced nervously to Cyborg, who shrugged, but I'm not really sure why. The medic opened the door and we all filed inside. A team of nurses was trying to sooth an elderly man, who seemed to be in distress.  
  
"No, please listen to me!! He'll let them out! I know he will! He told me- oh! The Titans! Thank the lord!"  
  
"Its ok sir," Robin said, kneeling down next to the bed, "Were here to help, but before we can, we'll need you to calm down. Okay?"  
  
The mans shouts stopped as he took a couple of deep breaths. He smoothed out white hair with his aged hand.  
  
"Tell us what happened," Robin said, in a cool, collected voice.  
  
"They have to leave." Mr. Baxter insisted, pointing at the nurses. One nurse opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it when Raven pointed to the door. It swung open and the nurses' left, looking like they felt belittled. Raven caused the door to shut and lock behind them. Finally the Mr. Baxter looked ready to talk.  
  
"Ok, it's like this you see." He licked his lips nervously, "I... I have always had a fascination with insects. My whole life long. Especially termites. They can devour an entire dead tree log in a day. It's extraordinary really. If it wasn't for those little guys, the entire earth would be knee deep in dead lumber." His eyes darted back and forth, but continued.  
  
"So, on day as I was sitting in my lab, watching the termite farm, I started thinking. I thought '_you know what? What if they could eat other substances? Trash for example. We could solve a lot of Earths pollution problems. I would be famous. Rich, filthy rich_.'

This happened thirty years ago. The day after my thought, I stared working. And over the course of thirty years, I finally have it. I bred termites to be able to digest other forms of substances, other than wood." His voice had a bit of pride in it.  
  
"But two termites escaped a couple of days ago. At first I though '_oh well, they will die in a couple of days, and its only two'_. You see, termites only live for about fourteen days. But as I was cleaning out my filing cabinet, I found that they had laid eggs. I thought to myself, how is this possible? I have been extra careful to only bred female termites by artificial insinuation. At fist I didn't know how they did it until further inspection and I realized that they had mutated further than I had planed. They had evolved to posses both _male_ and _female_ reproductive organs."  
  
"Just like some species of frogs..." I murmured, remembering back to the frog dissections.  
  
"Yes, like some frogs, but I've bred these insects to be able to eat through anything. So just as I was realizing this, the walls of my lab wobbled a little. I realized that the termites were _in the walls_, eating any substance other than wood. Then something fell on my head and that's all I remember. I think they ate through the support beam for the oxygen tank, and it fell and hit me."  
  
"Shit!" Raven said, angry about our situation, "There must be _something_ they cant eat, how did you contain them?"  
  
"I kept them in a force field containment area," he said, looking distressed. "There's nothing...wait." Mr. Baxter looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, there is one thing..."  
  
"What?" I asked, getting worked up myself.  
  
"I hadn't thought about this before... I was so obsessed with getting them to eat different things, that they may have mutated farther than there originally body functions. They might be unable to digest wood."  
  
"Wood, ok that's a start," Robin said pacing back and forth. I stood up absentmindedly and looked out of the window.  
  
"Whatever we do, lets do it quick," I said dully, "Because I don't think those civilians out there are enjoying themselves to much...."  
  
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
  
I reeked of bug guts. We all dragged ourselves back to the tower at three in the morning. In six short hours, those hell bugs had already caused the city $34,000 worth of damage. Who knows how much it costs now.  
  
Although all wooden structures were left untouched. So how do you stop a storm of three-foot long termites? Well we tried stomping them, burning them, electrocuting them, drowning them, and blowing them up, but there were too many.  
  
We decided to go back to Mr. Bs suggestion of how they might croak if we got them to eat wood, but how to get them to do that? Why, we visited our very good friend Killer Moth in prison!  
  
At first he was being a bad friend and not cooperation with us, but I took the incentive of cutting off Kittens hair if he didn't tell us. After Kitten had stopped shrieking enough for me to get my hearing back, Mr. Moth explained to us that bugs rely on their smell senses more than any other.  
  
If it smells good, eat it. We traveled back to the city and got a five-foot wooden block. We smeared some weird bug sent stuff on the wood we had gotten from Moths layer. Then the fun began!  
  
Swarms of termites paraded down the street to eat the delicious smelling wood. They're bodies swelled in reaction to the wood. Then they kind of exploded. Then they croaked.  
  
The little fuckers ate so much wood; we had to change the five foot block every forty-five minutes! And more just kept coming! Eight hours of working nonstop until the last one finally kicked the bucket. Not much fun.  
  
I fell on the sofa, numb from exhaustion and Star kind fell on top of me. And we fell asleep.

StArRy- I warned you!! I did!! I told you it was going to be a sick chapter!! Pickled penis! Oh god...  
  
And a quick note to some of my reviewers....

boogalaga- how could you say chickens are the spawn of the devil? They're the shit man!! LOL, actually, I don't like chickens too much, I would eat them to decrease the population, but I'm vegetarian. SO YOU HAVE TO DO IT FOR ME!! EAT THEM ALL!!  
  
NavynBabyBlueSuedeShoes- I am so sorry! FF.net told me that my bio was inappropriate and made me take off your conversation!! Nooo! Maybe you could write it again, but make it PG. No, that will be stupid! It's all

_BB-you're a butt head _

_Ice. Ice-Non it b you dat is de butt head._

_ Naomi- you are all butt heads._

_ Together- WE ARE ALL BUTTHEADS!!_

See? Its stupid!  
  
softballtitan009- Thanks for the positive feed back on the character development. I wasn't sure it was going to work, but I guess it did.  
  
Marshmello Da Strawberry Cow- dude....your right... WHERE IS CYBORGS CLOTHES?!?! Did he just never get around to getting dressed?  
  
Raven A. Star- Fred is very happy that you love him. But he will still have to peck you to death.


	11. noodles and paperbags

A quick note- Ok, I would like to formally apologize for the shittyness of this chapter. I made a few changes to make it better, but it is still pretty bad. Sorry! I have such bad writers block! I know how I want this story to end, but I don't know how to get it there. But Boogalaga , you wrote a really constructive review, about this chapter sounding like babble, but can you tell me exactly what I'm doing wrong? Like what sounds like babble? I need to know. Thanks in advance Ok, On to the revised but still shitty chapter!

_I was walking down a long hallway hallway. It was so shinny and pretty, the walls and floor were all tiled with shinny silver tiles that scattered light in all directions. I pranced down the hall, looking up at the majestic chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. There were no windows, but why look outside when inside is so beautiful?_

_The hall stretched on so far, I was sure it would never ever end, and I didn't want it to. I walked and walked, my footsteps echoing._

_"Hey!! Hey you there!" I stopped and turned around. An elderly janitor lady was walking behind me, swinging a map back and forth in my path._

_"You're leaving a trail of mud!!" She yelled accusingly. I looked down and saw that my boots were all covered in mud. I then looked behind me and saw muddy footprint behind me. The lady was mopping them up as I went. Had she been behind me all this time?_

_ "Didn't you hear me? Take off your shoes!" I smiled apologetically to her and removed my muddy shoes. I was all set to walk down the hall when the lady screeched at me again._

_"Look at your feet stupid! Jesus Christ! Am I talking to a wall?" I looked down and saw my feet covered in mud. How did mud get all over me? I took a step and left a muddy footprint. I tried to rub off the mud, but the more I did, the more mud seemed to spread._

_How did I get so dirty?_

_ I looked up to the lady who was fuming._

_"How could you do this to me? How could you dirty my hall, my beautiful hall! Take off your feet!"_

_"I can't take off my feet!" I exclaimed in a voice that seemed rather distant, like it wasn't really me talking._

_"Then I will!" She roared, swinging her mop around. But now it was no longer a mop. It was a white tipped ax. I yelled and started running. She chased me down the hall, which was no longer beautiful, and shinny, but dark and dirty._

_My feet plummeted the floor as I ran, feeling the grime from the floor rub my feet. The tiles in the walls were now cracked and yellowed, as is they where hundred of years old._

"Naomi?"

_I heard Robin!!! His voice was so distant, but I could hear it!_

_"Robin!!!" I cried out, "Robin! I'm in here!!"_

"Naomi?"

_"Help! Help me Robin!!"_

"Help you how?"_ His misty voice sounded amused._

_ "She's going to chop off my feet!" I thought I was yelling, but my voice came out in a sleepy whisper. Robin's distant voice laughed and I toppled backwards, but for some reason, I didn't land hard. Quit soft actually._

I opened my eyes. I wasn't in a hall! I was in my very own bed! I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Isn't someone going to chop off your feet Naomi?" Asked Robin, who was standing beside my bed.

"Shut up." I said sleepily as he laughed.

"Who was going to chop off your feet?" He asked, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

"The janitor lady," I replied, shutting my eyes, "Now answer my question Robin, why did you feel that this particular morning would be a good morning to barge into my room and wake me?"

"Yeah, I really need the holographic software back. You barrowed it remembers?"

"No I didn't," I replied sleepily as I rolled back over in my bed, pulling the covers up over my face. But that was a lie, I actually did remember barrowing it, but I didn't want to deal with it right now, I just wanted to sleep.

"Yes you did! You made a holographic image of Cyborg remember? You had him wear a dress."

"Oh yeah...that was funny. Is he still pissed?"

"Yeah, basically."

"Oh well, he'll get over it, it was just a pink sundress...with a bonnet...and high heels...and a purse. On second thought, maybe he won't." I smiled into my pillow at Cyborgs reaction as he saw himself sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea with Starfire and me. Even Raven had joined our tea party to laugh at Cyborg, well, not really laugh, more of a smirk.

But Cyborg was less amused. Stupid guy, he's way to insecure about his own masculinity, that's his problem.

"So where is it?" Robin asked.

"Its somewhere down there." I mumbled as gestured to my floor.

"Naomi! There is so much shit on your floor! How the hell are you going to find that little computer chip?!?"

"You mean how the hell are _you_ going to find that little computer chip." I murmured, rubbing my eyes. Robin crossed his arms.

"No, we need it today remember? Remember the plan? We need it today. We need it."

"Look at you Robin! You're getting senile and repeating yourself like an old man. You need bed rest."

"Don't change the subject." He said smiling, "Now, get you lazy ass out of bed and find the chip." He waited for a few moments while I pretended to be sleeping. He then pushed me off the bed. I landed with a thump.

"Bastard!!! You bastard!!! What if I had been sleeping in the nude? That would have been known as a _sexual offendment_!"

"What?"

"Sexual offendment! I would have been offended, and I would have been naked. One plus two equals a sexual offendment!"

"Naomi, you need to wake up completely, your not making sense."

"Oh, _sorry_ I'm not making any sense. Maybe I would if I hadn't been rudely shoved out of bed. _Its all my fault_."

"Naomi, you're babbling."

"No, _you're_ babbling."

"Whatever just find the chip ok?" He left my room, tripping over some miscellaneous items on my floor. I yawned widely, and scratched my arm.

Now where did I leave that chip? Chip. Potato chip. Hey! Potato chips! That's what I need!

I stood up, and then remembered of my task. I can't get distracted! Not this time! We need that chip! It is my sacred mission. I felt extremely noble as I knelt down beside my bed.

Damn, I can't even see to the other side. I lay on the floor and reached my arm under and stared pulling random stuff out.

Hmmmmm, some colored pencils, an empty cup, striped bathrobe, three torn magazines, an unraveled ball of yarn, dirty penguin socks, a smile face beach ball, an old pretzel, a pair of too shorts that were much to short, a silver spoon, some beads, a green velvet bag, a block of wood I was going to paint and make into a 'stay out all forms of evil doers' sign for my room. I ducked my head under my bed, coughing from the dust.  
  
A few shards of light shown through on the other side of my bed. I stretched my fingers as far as they would go, and my fingertips brushed something smooth. Hey! It's the metal rod I used to prop up my door when that fucker Gizmo knocked it off when they attacked our tower! I used the rod to poke out some more forgotten treasures from under my bed. Some The Feather shopping bags, the remote from the TV I had stolen to annoy Cy and forgot about, an old TV guide, old nail polish bottles, and.... something shiny.

I reached out and tugged at it. Ohhhh, a pretty necklace! I have absolutely no memory of! It had pink shiny rhinestones attached to a silver chain. I latched the clasp around my neck. What else, what else... old batteries, a lollipop stick, and Ravens diaries that I have no idea of how they ventured under my bed.

Oh god... I pulled out Starfires bag of kitting. I swear I will kill the homemaking channel on TV. I swear I will. The damn station fills Starfires little mind with horrible ideas of home improvement. Star had taken up kitting temporarily, although it kept her occupied, she actually insisted that we wear the items she created using the method of 'patternaticaly knotting yarn'. Which would have been just fine if you could actually be able to identify what she had created. She had gotten really upset when I tried to put the hat she had made on my foot as a sock. So I made the world a better place by her bag of yarn and needles.

She was upset at first, but then got over it, especially when the homemaking channel had a special on curtains. Now, my room has lovely black and white striped curtains that tilt slightly to the right.

But I was a good sport about it; I even told her that they made the room look more cheerful. She had been so inspired by my complement that she made curtains for the whole tower. Raven wanted to take them down but I wouldn't let her.

I peeked under my bed. There!! I used two fingers to delicately pick up the chip. I stood up, smiling proudly, that is until I looked down. I had cleaned under my bed, therefore completely covering my floor with junk. But under my bed is clean, and that's good enough for me.

I used my toe to clearing a little path to my door. I cleaned under my bed, so good for me! Maybe this is what my teachers always meant by me having 'low expectations of myself'. There was a soft knock on my door. The door tried to open, but couldn't do the block of wood blocking it.

I nearly choked trying to hold in a laugh. The _block_ of wood was _blocking_ the door. Get it?

"Naomi?" I trudged to the door, tangling my toes in yarn. I moved the wood and allowed the door to open.

"Yeeees? May I help you?"

"Yeah, I was wondering.... oh my god...." Ravens eyes widened at the mess. "Dear god, how can you live like this?"

"It's easy, just have low expectations of yourself."

"Naomi, just throw some of this shit away!" She kicked the block of wood out of her way as she marveled at the state of my room.

"No!!"

"Why?"

"I want to keep it! You never know when you might need it!"

"Yes, I'm sure an stale pretzel and scummy nail polish bottles will be of real assistance to you in a crises."

"It could.... You never know..." She shook her head, "Well, I just came up to tell you that were getting ready."

"For what- oh yeah, I remember. Do you think it will work?" Raven rolled her eyes.

"Please, he's a freak who didn't have any friends in high school and is now taking out his aggressiveness one innocent people, how hard can it be?"

A paralyzing blast from Cordata whizzed past my ear. I teasingly flew back and forth in front of him, taunting him to move closer. He swore at me and followed. He was wearing some weird samurai warrior armor. He looked like such an idiot! Seriously, samurai armor?

He was obviously a computer geek with _wayyyyy_ too much time on his hands, and decided one fine day to invent a paralyses gun and try to take over the city! Or maybe a small neighborhood. That's how most villains are created.

I landed on the pavement of the street, my hands behind my back, looking at him with an innocent expression. He lowered his paralysis gun level to my head. I smiled sweetly, and then kicked him in the jaw. He yelped out and I took to the air once more, calling him words that you could only learn in a public school.

He rubbed his jaw, and scrambled after me. I looked down the sweet little suburban neighborhood. A couple houses over I saw two little boys playing with toy trucks on their front lawn while an older girl tanned in the sun.

_Shit!_ I had to get Cordata away from this neighborhood; there are too many innocent lives at stake. I flew low to the ground, always staying in the sight of the completely bonkers guy behind me. I stopped briefly at the house with the boys and adolescent girl.

"Get in the house!" I hissed, stopping briefly.

** Zap!**

I ducked a narrow blow of greenish blue light.

"_Damn."_ I flew close to the pavement as a zipped down the street, giving Cordata a nice chase. Trees on front lawns became blurred as I sped up, then I heard something. The purr of an engine coming up the street. I smoothly glided up and over, and then back down over the car. However, Cordata didn't have such a brilliant strategy.

I heard the sickening crunch before I even saw the car slam into him.

"Oh, fucking hell!" I moaned as I landed and rushed over to the light blue car.

Yup, the car was at an angle, resting on Cordatas body. A teen girl jumped out of the car. She must be a new driver; she couldn't be much older than me. She looked to the body wedged under her car. Her hand rose to her mouth to cover a scream.

"_Oh my god!!! Oh my fucking god!!! I just totally hit a dude!! Is he like, going to be ok_?!!?!" I knelt by Cordata while the girl kept wailing.

"_I j-j-just d-didn't see him!! He r-ran right in t-to m-mh-my car! Fucking god!! Fucking god!! Fucking gooood!!"_

Her cries only stopped when I turned my head and she recognized me. "Don't tell!! Please don't tell!! Don't turn me in! It was a-" But her desperate beg for a 'get out of jail free' card were interrupted by Cordata, who had obviously decided to join us again.

The car was hurled at least ten feet in the air, before falling straight toward the hysterical girl and I. I literally tackled her into a nearby bush; we fell out of the way of the car, which hit the pavement with a huge crash. All the windows shattered and the tires literally exploded under the weight of the car.

I looked to the girl, whose face was pure white with shock.

"Are you ok?" I asked, but she didn't respond, her brown eyes were huge, and her mouth was open at funny angle.

"Are you ok?" I repeated slapping her face a few times to try to bring her back to reality. She started shrieking, and scrambled to her feet. Looked at me one more time before tearing off down the street. I looked over two Cordata, who was rubbing his head tenderly; his armor must have protected him. Stupid samurai armor...stupid samurai in general.

"Good job, another one for countless years in therapy. What would the fine people of the psychiatric field do without us?" Suddenly, he remembered he greatly desired to kill me. Not that he said that, but I being the peoples person I am, I could determine it from his body language, as he tried to bonk me over the head with he's paralyzing ray gun. I rolled out of his way, and took to the air once more. I flew at an amazingly slow speed, allowing him to think he 'almost got me', then for me to speed up. I was just starting to have fun when-

**Zip**!

I felt a tingling sensation spread from the tips of my fingers, to my elbow.

"Shit!" Then my whole forearm went numb, and hung limply at an angle as if it was made of a weak rubber. I didn't even try moving my fingers; I already knew they were paralyzed. I looked up down the street.

There! A small park of trees! I just need to get him there... I zipped back into the air, clutching my numb arm with my uninjured one. Damn, it felt like someone had put a shot of Novocain into my arm, you know, like the numbing stuff they give you before you get your teeth drilled?

Now add that to not being able to move it. Now add that to being chased by a complete psycho who has a gun. I guess I'm just not having a very good day.

**Zip! **

**Zip! **

**Zam!**

I wove my way around in the air, the paralyzing beams seeming to be everywhere. I couldn't fly as well as usually, not being properly balanced from loss of one arm. I flew into the small forest of trees, hiding behind one, panting. I rubbed my arm, which hung limply at my side.

_Shit! Shit shit shit!_ I thought as I held my breath, praying him to keep walking past me. _Don't stop, I prayed silently in my mind, please please please keep walking....please_.

The crunching of twigs beneath me announced that I had been spotted.

"I found you. I win this game of hide and seek, bitch." The voice claimed from below me. Then the air filled with light. I gave a little yelp as I desperately dodged the beams. Twisting and bending in one spot in the air, narrowly dodging the rays.

"Just admit you lost, no one likes a sore loser." He said, taking a small break from trying to kill me.

"And no one likes a just plain loser," I panted, leaning against the trunk of a tree, "But trust me, you are about to be a very sore loser soon."

I speed off, deeper into the cluster of pine trees. I wove around them, receiving small cuts from the tree needles. One tree branch snapped at me, I turned my head just in time to save my face from the blow, but the branch whipped the shell of my ear. I swore as the warm blood trickled down my stinging ear.

I thought for a moment, and then swore even more loudly, and sure enough, footsteps followed me. I looked up. I waited for him to catch up, swearing loud enough for the king of France to hear.

There! There's the checkpoint! I lead Cordata between the two trees that had yellow ribbon attached. I flew between the trees, sagging in the air to make it look like I was finally beaten. I landed on the ground past the trees, panting from exhaustion. He followed, obviously thinking he had won as well. Then, just as he was about to reach me, the ground seemed to swallow him up.

I listened in delight as Cordata yelped, then hit the bottom of the pit concealed by a holographic illusion of solid ground covering the pit.

Then the air filled with sonic blasts, and dark energy waves. And even the dropping of a moderately sized rock on Cordatas head provided by Beastboy hidden in a tree.

_'That's my boy,_ I thought proudly, _he's so resourceful_.'

"Good job Naomi!" Robin complimented as Cordata's little toy gun was confiscated and he was handcuffed by the police.

"Yeeeeah! Good work Homi!" Cyborg gave me a high five that left my hand stinging slightly. I guess he wasn't mad about the sundress thing anymore.

"Where's where out little alien?" Beastboy asked looking around.

"Wha- oh yeah Starfire. She wasn't so lucky. She got paralyzed."

"Oh god." Robin grabbed my arm, "Where is she?"

"Cordata was chasing us, so I had to leave her on a door step for safety reasons."

"Which door step?"

"Yeah, that's the problem. I know it was down this one street with trees... but then they all have trees. I don't know."

Robin looked at me the way a person would to another person who was suffering head injuries.

"You_ lost_ Star? You _lost_ her!?!?! She was completely paralyzed and you _lost_ her?!?"

"I told you! I couldn't take her with me! What was I supposed to do?!?! Fly around with her on my back? I'm not a fucking horse you know!!!"

After an hour of searching, we finally found Starfire, crumpled up limply on someone's front porch. A little boy was pocking her with a stick, much like the way you would do to a dead animal. After we got the little boy to leave, I examined Star.

"Yup, she is defiantly and undeniably paralyzed and incapable of movement," I said after examining her. She looked up at me, her eyes looking around widely.

"How are we going to unparalyze her?" Asked Beastboy, looking to Robin.

"Whatever we do, we need to get her back to the tower," Robin concluded.

"Well wait! What was that one thing she did when you got paralyzed?" I asked looking at Robin, I tried to remember back. "She...had done something to the back of his neck. Oh hell, I can't even remember what happened yesterday! How am I supposed to remember something like this?"

Starfire started making a deep-throated sound, and her eyes rolled back, giving her the look of someone who belonged in a mental ward.

"Star? You look absolutely looney," I said helpfully.

"I'm afraid your friend is going to have to stay the night," Doctor Jean told us, examining Starfire critically as she lay limply in the bed. She literally looked like a rag doll.

"But you cured Naomi's arm in an hour," Raven said, "Why-"

"Full body paralysis is quite different," The doctor replied, "That ray gun isn't like some chemical you inject into your body that can wear off. It was a ray that breaks down cells that link your brain to your body. Thankfully we can repair them in small sections."

I flexed and inflexed my fingers. The tips tingled slightly, I wonder if that arm will ever be the same. This super hero business really dose a number on your health.

And poor Star! Her whole body! I would hate being unable to move! That would be scary! I sat down on her bed, adjusting her arms so they would lie at her sides and tilting her head so she could look up at us.

"You want me to stay Starry?" I asked. She shook her eyes back and forth to say _no_.

"You sure?" She raised her eyes up and down to say _yes_.

"Well ok then." I stood up made some last minute adjustments on Starfires position so she would be more comfortable. Then Doctor Jean ushered us out of the Lab.  
  
"I don't trust Doctor Jean," I declared as we piled into the T- car, Robin looking extremely grave from having to leave Starfire somewhere out of his sight, "I bet she's an ex-carnie I bet she brain washes Star, to make her think she's a Canadian mountain monkey, then gives her testosterone hormone pills until she grows a beard. Then she'll join the traveling circus. She'll be the bearded lady/alien girl/ paralyzed person. She would be the main attraction. Hell, I'd pay to see that. I'd even join, I could be-"

"Naomi! Shut up!" Beastboy said hitting me gently over the head. "Don't you hit me boy." I said, pretending to be angry, "I'll hit you back!" He seemed to find this amusing.

"You couldn't hit harder than I could!"

"Are you kidding? You couldn't punch your way out of a paper bag!!!" I said in the stupidest voice possible.

"Oh yeah? Well, you couldn't punch you way out of... a wet noodle."

"No, but I could eat my way out of a wet noodle."

"Eating is entirely different."

"How the hell could you to get trapped in paper bags and noodles?" Asked Cyborg as he steered the car down the road away from the lab.

"Were talking hypothetically Cy," I said, pretending that he was the one talking stupid, "Were not really trapped in noodles, but it would be okay with me if I was."

I smiled as I leaned back in the seat as Beastboy and Cyborg continued to talk about noodles. I thought about Starfire in the lab as I looked out the widow. We weren't in a very nice part of town, near South Gothem. The lab was purposely built here, to kind of hid it from stupid people, stupid people like Slade.  
  
Then, the end of a dirty brown trench coat whipped around out of the corner of my eye. I craned my neck, looking to see if it was who I thought it was. It was Ice. He was walking down the street, clutching a parcel intently. And he was with someone...  
  
"Cy, stop the car," I murmured, suddenly serious. I must have sounded more serious than I thought, because he slammed on the brakes, looking at me in the rearview mirror concernedly.  
  
"What is it? Something wrong?" He asked, looking tense. "No..... I think I'll... stay with Star tonight." I said in a trance, as I scrambled over Raven to get out of the car. She decided she didn't like people climbing over her and helpfully pushed me out of the car, with much force  
  
"Well...ok" Cyborg said concernedly, "Just make sure to-"  
  
I shut the door and walked down the street, not looking back. Finally, the purr of the engine was in the distance. I looked back once, and then darted down the street, looking for.... him. He knew something I didn't. He knew what was happening with Slade. If I needed answers, I needed Ice.  
  
The street seemed to get darker and gloomier the farther I went. The sky darkened with pollution from some nearby factories and everything was surrounded by high walls, colorful with graffiti. The buildings started to look the same, all dully colored and box shaped.  
  
I stopped suddenly. The hair on the back on my neck prickled as I stood completely still, listening. There, I heard the unmistakable sound of French. I entered a dark ally slowly. I ducked behind a dumpster, stilling my very breath.  
  
"Vous l'avez Monsieur?" "Pas, j'ai dit à vous cela, j'ai besoin de plus que le temps." There were three voices. One I recognized as Ice, the other were unfamiliar. I listened intently, hoping someone would speak in English. "Si est exactement vous temps remarquable ce que nous n'avons pas." "I a indiqué à vous, j'a besoin de plus de temps." "Well, that's too bad isn't it?" The third said in a raspy voice, obvisly displeased about something. Suddenly the very air seemed to chill and I heard the crackle of ice being formed. I jumped out of my hiding place, just in time to see Ice gripping a man by the throat and was speaking very firmly to him as ice slicked the walls of the ally.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked sweetly, just as an innocent schoolgirl would ask a classmate. Ice saw me, then looked to the man. He dropped the man, who scrambled away. Ice yelled something after him in French, it sounded like a threat to me. Then he turned his attention back to me, looking around cautiously.  
  
"Sacra ble, y' b' back chere? Y' cant get enough of Ice?" He said, trying to sound as if he wasn't up to something, but I could tell he was hiding something... Something big.  
  
"Trust me, I've had enough of your French ass for several lifetimes. Now, be a good boy and tell me what the fuck that was all about."  
  
"Noting." He smiled charmingly at me as if we were on moderately good terms. I looked past his smile at his eyes, which seemed to be looking to someone else, like he wasn't really talking to me at all.  
  
"No, seriously. Tell me."  
  
"Dat homme jus' b' owing Ice money, dats all."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"De picture Ice take of y' in de shower."  
  
Bad idea Mr. Ice. I socked him in the face. He swore, clutching left eye, which was now seemed to be turning a majestic shade of purple and puffing out slightly.  
  
"What do you know?" I asked in mock patience, as if I had all day.  
  
"Ice don know what-"  
  
"Don't lie!! Something's happening. Slade knows it, and so do you!" I glared at him. "What's with the skull and the alarm clock? What's so important about the fucking clock?"  
  
"Ice don know," Ice muttered, looking away. I felt my anger boil up inside.  
  
"I know you know! And if you don't tell me what you know, I know that you know I will eventually know." I was so flustered by anger, I was babbling.  
  
"What?" Ice looked like he was going to laugh. I was not in the mood to be laughed at.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"Ice told y'! No one tells Ice anyting! Ice just follows de orders!" He took a step back from me, eyes darting all around the ally looking for something.  
  
"So your just Slades bitch then?" That did it. He seemed to forget whatever the hell he was looking for and glared at me.  
  
"Ice b' no ones bitch."  
  
"Really? Cause the way it looks to me, your following orders like a wee wittle puppy doggie." I had to keep him flustered. I had to keep him talking. If you talk enough, the truth eventuraly slips out.  
  
Ice opened his mouth to say something, then, he seemed to notice something. He looked strangely to me, and then he backed up slowly, not taking his eyes off of me.  
  
"What are you staring at?" He tilted his head as he continued to stare, then mouth something that looked suspiciously like 'Oh shit!!'  
  
"What?" Then reality hit me like a cold knife. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking behind me. I slowly turned my head, and something collided into my face, hard.  
  
I fell to the ground with thump, my nose bleeding freely. I used my wrist to wipe away some of the blood, but it continued to pour down my face. My mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. The blood from my nose somehow managed to trickle into my eyes, blinding me with its thickness. My arms thrashed, trying to grab something... anything. The blood filled my ears, drowning out the noise of someone yelling.  
  
Something grabbed my leg, and started dragging me down the ally. I screeched and lashed out; desperate to pry my leg from the grasp of whatever had gotten a hold of me, but the grip of whatever the hell it was didn't seem to keen to let go of me. I kicked, scratched, bit, anything I thought might hurt the thing, and I did. But it didn't seem to affect it.  
  
My skin on my leg was now rubbed raw from being dragged across the pavement. I couldn't see, the blood clouding my vision. I blinked desperately, trying to see; all I could see was shadows.  
  
Then, the thing turned a corner and my head collided with the side corner of the ally. My head filled with pain, then felt strangely numb. Then my very mind seemed to dim, until it was dark. StArRy- Ok, one more thing. I want to thank Boogalaga for her review. I had no idea I was picking on Star so much!! I've had such bad writers block that I just kinda wrote about her because she's an easy character to write about, Ravens much harder! Anywho I hope this chapter is better now.


	12. ever so fucked

My head hurts. Why dose my head hurt? I opened my eyes slowly. And what...am I doing outside? I lifted my head off the sticky grass slowly. I was in a field. I sat up completely, and looked around. The soft grass tickled my legs. Never before in my entire life have I seen grass so perfect.  
  
I looked down at it. It was lush and green, each blade perfect. I stood up, and looked up to the cloudless blue sky. Birds few in formation across it. Something is defiantly not right here. Not right at all. Its just too...perfect. I took a few steps, looking around cautiously. But I was alone. Completely alone.  
  
"Hello!" a small voice called out to me.  
  
I stopped in my tracks, and looked over my shoulder. Nothing. I turned my head back around to continue walking and neatly fell down in surprise to be face to face with a small girl.  
  
"Hello!" She repeated cheerfully.  
  
"Wha-" I was bewildered. She hadn't been there a second ago! I know she hadn't, I had been looking in that direction!  
  
"I thought you'd _never_ get here!" She exclaimed excitedly. She grabbed my hand and started pulling me.  
  
"Come _on_!"  
  
"Come on where?" I asked, looking at her strangely as she dragged me to wherever she was taking me.  
  
"Tea silly!" I looked around and saw a small white garden table, no father than three feet away. But...  
  
"Sit!" She exclaimed. I practically fell on the small chair, feeling rather confused. I looked to the girl, who was busily stirring tea in a small porcelain tea pot with out a care in the world. She was wearing a crisp clean sundress with shinny black buckle shoes. Her long auburn hair hung around her round little face, which seemed permanently flushed with excitement.  
  
I would tell you that she was cute, but something bothered me about her. Her eyes. I have never seen eyes like that before. They...I don't know how to describe it.... They looked literally like shattered ice.  
  
"Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked, in a voice of a child trying very hard to speak formally.  
  
"Sure." I replied shortly, accepting the tea although not drinking a drop.  
  
"What fine weather we are having," She said conversationally, looking up at the sky. She sipped her tea absentmindedly, spinning the spoon around in it.  
  
"Right." She looked to me, smiling happily.  
  
"Um, where am I?" I asked her carefully. She tossed her head back and laughed and laughed.  
  
"What a silly question! How can you not know where you are? You are right here!" She giggled again.  
  
"And where is here, exactly?"  
  
"You're funny! I like you!"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Would you like a sugar cube?" She asked, gesturing to a small bowl piled with perfectly square sugar cubes.  
  
"No thanks."  
  
"Oh but you _must_!" She insisted, widening her icy blue eyes.  
  
"Ok," I let her drop two sugar cubs into my tea.  
  
"Now, may I ask you a question?" She asked, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"How long is forever?" She asked. I looked at her strangely.  
  
"Forever is a very long time I have heard, why?"  
  
"Ooooh, nothing," She replied absentmindedly swinging her skinny legs back and forth under the table, "That's just how long you're going to stay."  
  
Ooook! That's _not_ a good sign! I rested my elbows on the table.  
  
"And what do you mean by that exactly, little girl." My voice had a bit of an edge to it.  
  
"You haven't drunk any tea!" She exclaimed, looking in my cup.  
  
"Answer my question. What the hell is going on here?" She gasped.  
  
"You said a bad word!"  
  
"Yeah, I know a million of them, now, who are you and what do you want."  
  
"Me? I'm your best friend!" I narrowed my eyes.  
  
"Not really- I just met-" Suddenly the ground was on _fire_! I yelped and jumped on the small chair to avoid the flames. The crystal blue sky turned as black as night and the birds that had been chirping cheerfully twisted into the ugly shape of bats.  
  
"_What the hell_!!" I looked over to the girl, who no longer looked cute, but completely and utterly mad.  
  
"**You are a bad friend**!" Her voice thundered a hundred times its own volume, and shook the ground with each syllable. "**You are my very best friend in the whole wide world! Understand?!?!"**  
  
"_Ok!! Ok!! Were friends!!"_ I yelled over the noise. Suddenly the flames were grass and the sky was blue.  
  
"Good," she said in a voice that was no longer loud. I shakily set my foot back on the ground, afraid that the flames would return and barbeque me, which would be such a bad way to go! I sat down.  
  
"You haven't drunken any tea!" She repeated, sounding upset.  
  
"Right, I'll get to that. First, who are you?"  
  
"Me?" She giggled, "My names Cut."  
  
"That's a weird name," I murmured.  
  
"No its not! Don't be a rude guest!" She pouted. "It's not a weird name," she muttered to herself, then brightened, "Drink some tea!"  
  
"I think I'll pass-"  
  
"Your turning out to be a very rude friend! Drink it!" I looked at her critically.  
  
Who ever she was, she seamed to have some sort of control of this place, where ever here was. I better play it cool and do what she says.  
  
I brought the small cup up to my lips, expecting the liquid to be sweet; she had put a lot of sugar in it. But I found the liquid to burn my throat like acid. I gagged as I tried to spit it out, but it seemed to have a mind of its own and traveled down my throat anyway. I shut my eyes in pain as the tea burned my throat and nose.  
  
"What the hell kind of tea is this?!?!" I asked, and was surprised not to get a response. I opened my eyes and looked around to find myself alone. And.... On a small dirt path surrounded by thick green bushes.  
  
"What the..." I asked getting pissed at the randomness. I looked around my new surroundings. The tall bushes were cut into perfect walls, like a maze. A hedge maze? Yeah...it is a hedge maze. Why am I in a hedge maze? Did that girl send me here? Why?  
  
I looked around. It can't be this easy, can it? Doesn't this little girl know about my powers? I used the tip of my fingers to try to light a branch of a bush. It didn't light.  
  
"Hmmmm," I muttered to myself. I stood back and directed a blast of fire that could have melted a dumpster, but it didn't seem to affect the plant at all. By now I was getting somewhat frustrated and looked up to the sky. I tired to float out of the maze, but for some reason I could fly any higher than the top of the maze. Like some invisable forse kept me down.  
  
"This is fucked up." I looked around, maybe at the end of the maze is how to get out of this weird place.  
  
"Well, I'm not getting anything done standing around and talking to myself," I said, talking to myself.  
  
I used the tip of my boot to draw a line in the dirt. There, know I know where I started. I was about to set off in an aimless walk when I remembered something. I had been in a hedge maze before....when I was really little.  
  
I stopped in mid step and tried to remember what had happened. I had only been five years old, when my dad took me to a carnival of some sort. Yeah... and.... There had been a hedge maze. I had gotten separated from my dad, and had gotten lost. Of course the maze had only consisted of five walls and two dead ends, but hey, I was five! I was hardy toilet trained!! Anyway I remember felling so scared, I had just sat down and cried and cried. Then... an old man came up to me.  
  
"Look," he had said taking my hand and placing it on one side of the wall, "If you follow one side of a maze, you eventually find your way out." I blinked. Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks random old man. I placed one hand on one side of the wall and started walking.  
  
Who knows how long I walked. Hours? Who know, but eventually, I found myself right back at the line I had drawn in the dirt.  
  
"Fuck!" I yelled, kicking the side of the hedge, which left my foot stinging. This is not possible! I followed one side! It isn't logical! There must not be an exit. There can't be. I sat down on the path, feeling a twinge of hopelessness.

_I guess logic doesn't work here..._I thought, looking at the hedges, _logic is meaningless_.

I buried my head in my hands. If logic doesn't work here, what will? I thought for a while, and then lifted my head. If logic doesn't work..... I crawled over to one side of the bush.  
  
I used so much force and it didn't work, maybe it I do it gently...

I carefully inserted my hand into the bush, and it felt like.... A normal bush. I carefully pulled apart the branches and leaned closer to try to see through. Suddenly my body pitched forward and I fell out of the hedge. I swore I tumbled off a small ledge. I sat up in a daze and looked up. I was out of the maze.  
  
"This is ever so fucked," I moaned, rubbing my head. I looked to my new surrounds. It was a forest. I stood up looking around. The trees loomed in all directions in the misty darkness, all looking exactly the same. I looked for something to follow, any clue as were to go, but I found none. I shut my eyes and spun around a few times, then opened my eyes and walked off in the direction that my spinning stopped.  
  
As I walked, I noticed something. There were not animals here. Only trees. I stopped at one, and examined it closely. It looked just like another normal tree. I reached out and touched its trunk. It _shivered._ I shrieked and sprinted off away from it.  
  
Stupid trees!! Stupid _stupid_ trees! I thought angrily. Why the hell- Then I heard something. I stopped and listened. There it was again. A distant howl.  
  
"Hello?" I called into the darkness. Another spine chilling howl. Spine chilling howls are not usually a good sign when you are in a dark forest with shivery trees, but I was desperate for something, anything that might get me out of here.  
  
I stood still, listening intently. Then I heard the sound of padded paws pounding the ground. They were coming closer. I waited expectantly. Then, to bright yellow eyes loomed out of the darkness.  
  
"Hi." I said a little uncertainly, looking at the eyes, peeking out of the shadow. Then a green wolf slowly stepped out of the shadows. Beastboy!!  
  
"Beastboy!!!" I called out happily, "Some crazy bitch sent me here! How did you get here?" He didn't resume his human shape or make any signs that he had heard me at all.  
  
"Beastboy?" No reply.  
  
"BB?" I asked in a small voice. The green wolf snarled at me, then leapt right at me! I stumbled back, falling down, causing the mass of muscle and fur to sail right over me. I yelped and flew into the air. He arched his back in mid air to land facing me. He lowered his head and snarled, then leapt at me again. This isn't Beastboy, it can't be. He would never do this. I started flying away from him, hoping he wouldn't follow, but he did.  
  
I wove around the trees, hoping to lose him, but the faster I few, the faster he ran. He was damn fast for a wolf!! He was right at me, snapping at my feet.  
  
"Get away! Stupid wolf! Stupid wolf who is pretending to be my boyfriend!" I panted out between breaths. He sank his teeth into my boot, and thrashed his head, unbalancing my flight. I was whipped in the air, and fell to the ground.  
  
I watched in horror as the wolf pounced on top of me, I shut my eyes, hoping for him to kill me quickly, but he didn't. He didn't do anything at all. Just laid on me. I opened my eyes and heard him make a gagging noise, then was silent. I was suffocating under his great weight, but didn't dare to disturb him, but even after many minutes, he still didn't move. I pushed him off me and looked at his face.  
  
His yellow eyes were dull and unblinking; his mouth was agape in a look of surprise. I looked closer, the smallest stream of blood was trickling out of his opened jaws. Then I looked to my own hand and found a white tipped ax firmly grasped in my fist. I shirked and dropped the ax which landed with a thud. What happened?!?! Had I _killed_ him!? I didn't mean to! He just jumped on the ax...in my hand...  
  
"I've just about had enough," I whispered, looking around desperately, "I want to go home."  
  
But no one answered my silent plead, I was completely and utterly alone. I looked down to the wolf. Wait, is it breathing? I saw a little motion in its side, right near the gash made by the ax.  
  
"What the-" I bent down. Something.... was.... wiggling inside the wolf. I think I'm going to be sick...  
  
The wiggling became more pronounced and out of the ax wound, climbed a little white rabbit.  
  
"_Oh god_-" Then I was sick. This is so messed up. I looked to the rabbit, which seemed quite unconcerned, casually grooming its fluffy white fur. Then it noticed me looking at it. It scampered off.  
  
"Wait!" I called. Then I remembered something.  
  
_Follow the white rabbit._  
  
I nearly laughed in realization, I was Naomi in wonderland! Dear lord.  
  
_Oh, never again will I leave the tower. I think I'll stay in bed for the rest of my life, thank you very much._ I started sprinting after the rabbit._ I will stay in bed all day, only eat and sleep. That's all. I want an early retirement.  
_  
I stopped running, panting heavily.  
  
"Where did that little fucker go?" I asked, looking for the rabbit. I saw a speak of white jump out of a bush. Ah, there it is.  
  
It stopped, twitching its little pink bunny nose. Then slowed its pace to a bunny walk. I followed it intently until we came to a small clearing. The trees parted away from the small clearing, allowing a few shards of light to pass through. I looked and saw the rabbit bound into the middle, near a thin rectangular...thing.  
  
I looked at it more closely. It wasn't a thing, it was a mirror. It was a full length mirror, standing up straight and tall, being held up by nothing. The rabbit looked at me once more, before jumping into the mirror. I did a double take. Then a triple take. Then a quadruple take. Then whatever comes after a quadruple take.  
  
The rabbit....jumped into the mirror. Oh great, this is fantastic. I stepped cautiously up to the mirror, and looked at my reflection. Wow, I am one sweaty girl. I made faces at myself, and the mirror mimicked them, just like another mirror would.  
  
Follow the white rabbit Naomi! I reminded myself. I lifted a hand to the mirror.  
  
Now do I really want to do this? I asked myself.  
  
Of course not Naomi! I thought sarcastically, we can just go back to that gory wolf and dig around in its guts looking for more stuff! That would be _ever_ so much fun!  
  
I nodded my head in agreement with myself and placed one finger on the mirrors surface. It slipped right it. The mirrors surface made tiny ripples, just like when you throw a stone into a still lake. I slip my entire hand in. Hey... this isn't so bad.  
  
I slipped my entire arm in. I tried to feel if there was anything in the other side, but felt nothing. I looked at myself in the mirror. Then I stepped into my reflection.  
  
__

_I was walking down a long hallway. It was so shinny and pretty, the walls and floor were all tiled with shinny silver tiles that scattered light in all directions. I pranced down the hall, looking up at the majestic chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. There were no windows, but why look outside when inside is so beautiful?  
  
The hall stretched on so far, I was sure it would never ever end, and I didn't want it to. I walked and walked, my footsteps echoing.  
  
"Hey!! Hey you there!" I stopped and turned around. An elderly janitor lady was walking behind me, swinging a mop back and forth in my path.  
  
"You're leaving a trail of mud!!" She yelled accusingly. I looked down and saw that my boots were all covered in mud. I then looked behind me and saw muddy footprint behind me. The lady was mopping them up as I went. Had she been behind me all this time?  
  
"Didn't you hear me? Take off your shoes!" I smiled apologetically to her and removed my muddy shoes. I was all set to walk down the hall when the lady screeched at me again.  
  
"Look at your feet stupid! Jesus Christ! Am I talking to a wall?" I looked down and saw my feet covered in mud. How did mud get all over me? I took a step and left a muddy footprint. I tried to rub off the mud, but the more I did, the more mud seemed to spread.  
  
How did I get so dirty?  
  
I looked up to the lady who was fuming.  
  
"How could you do this to me? How could you dirty my hall, my beautiful hall! Take off your feet!"  
  
"I can't take off my feet!" I exclaimed in a voice that seemed rather distant, like it wasn't really me talking.  
  
"Then I will!" She roared, swinging her mop around. But now it was no longer a mop. It was a white tipped ax. I yelled and started running. She chased me down the hall, which was no longer beautiful, and shinny, but dark and dirty.  
  
My feet plummeted the floor as I ran, feeling the grime from the floor rub my feet. The tiles in the walls were now cracked and yellowed, as is they where hundred of years old.  
  
_ "Naomi?"  
  
_I heard Robin!!! His voice was so distant, but I could hear it!_  
  
_"Robin!!!" I cried out, "Robin! I'm in here!!"_  
  
"Naomi?"  
  
_"Help! Help me Robin!!"_  
  
"Help you how?" _His misty voice sounded amused.  
_  
_ "She's going to chop off my feet!" I thought I was yelling, but my voice came out in a sleepy whisper. Robin's distant voice laughed and I toppled backwards, but for some reason, I didn't land hard. Quit soft actually._  
  
I opened my eyes. I wasn't in a hall! I was in my very own bed! I breathed a sigh of relief. Wait... haven't I had this dream before?  
  
"Isn't someone going to chop off your feet Naomi?" Asked Robin, who was standing beside my bed.  
  
"Shut up." I said sleepily as he laughed.  
  
"Who was going to chop off your feet?" He asked, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.  
  
"You know, the janitor lady, I already told you." I muttered. God he was stupid.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I already told you. _Geez Robin_, you really are getting senile. And why are you waking me up again?"  
  
"Again? Naomi... never mind. I'm just here for the chip."  
  
"Potato chip?" Robin rubbed his tempals  
  
"No Naomi. Not a potato chip. The holographic chip. You barrowed it, remember? We need it today!" I sat up and arched my eyebrows.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? We already used it. Yesterday, remember?" He stared at me.  
  
"No.... we need it today. Naomi, you need to completely wake up, you're not making any sense at all." He stood up.  
  
"Just find it ok?" He left the room. I sat dumbly. Hadn't this already happened? Maybe it was a dream... I stood up and yawned widely. I knelt beside my bed, finding the chip in a second. I already knew where it was.  
  
I sat down on my bed, thinking. Was the little girl real? Was it a dream?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"Are you okay Nomi?" Asked Cyborg as we piled into the T-car after leaving a very limp Starfire at the lab, "You been acting really strange today."  
  
"No, I'm ok."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes! I've lived with my self for almost fifteen years! _I think_ I know when I'm ok!" I snapped. He looked hurt, and turned away, and put the key in the ignition.  
  
"How did you know that Starfire was going to get paralyzed?" Asked Beastboy curiously, "You seemed to know that even before it happened. Are you in cahoots with Cordata?"  
  
He meant it to be funny, but I didn't even bother to pretend to laugh. I just sat down and looked out the window. Everyone noted my tension and was silent. Then I saw Ice. I didn't follow him this time.  
  
Why would I? Just let myself get captured by the little girl all over again?  
  
No thank you, I prefer my day to not include being knocked unconscious and having no idea where I am when I wake up.  
  
_But what if the day just repeats itself over and over?_ A little voice whispered in the back of my head. _What if that little girl did something to make the day repeat again? I'll be trapped! We have to get to the core of the problem, you know that._ Stupid little voice in the back of my head, it's always right. It's like having Jiminy Cricket lodged in you noggin.  
  
"Cy stop the car." He slammed on the brakes and looked at me.  
  
"What? What's wrong?"  
  
"I think I'll stay with Star tonight." I scrambled over Raven who once again took the liberty of pushing my ass out of the car.  
  
"Ok just be sure to-"  
  
I shut the door and started walking down the sidewalk. I rolled my eyes up to the sky, knowing exactly what was going to happen, when it was going to happen. I stopped at the ally, and kept in, hiding behind my trusty dumpster.  
  
"Well, that's to bad, isn't it?" The raspy voice said once more. There's my cue. I stepped out.  
  
"What the hell are you doing Ice?" I asked in a board tone. He turned and looked at me in shock. He dropped the man he was holding by the throat and yelled at him in French as he scrabbled off.  
  
"Icy not b' doing noting."  
  
"Shut up Ice! I'm not in the mood! I'm having a seriously bad day!!" He arched his eyebrow.  
  
"Icy is having bad day too. It start when little girls interrupt Ices personal business."  
  
"What is your personally business?"  
  
"Wouldn' y' like t' know?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do want to know, right now if you please." Then Ices eyes went wide, looking behind me.  
  
"Don't tell me. Something's going to smack me in the face." I said, turning around. And sure enough, I was soon being dragged down the street aging, blinded by my own blood. Then knocked unconscious.....again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
I looked into Cuts crystal eyes.  
  
"I am getting really sick of this bitch."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I have relived this day, no less than three times by now. I meet you, then get thrown into a bush, ax Beastboy, then I follow a white rabbit into a mirror and the day starts over."  
  
"Yes," she giggled, isn't it fun?"

"No, it is not fun!! Are you insane!?!?" I exploded, "I am seriously about to crack. I'm going to get very violent on you." She gasped,  
  
"Oh no! My friend is unhappy. Tell you what; I'll give you a hint."  
  
"Yes, that would be very nice of you." I groaned, slapping my forehead with my hand in frustration.  
  
"Ok, here it is," She giggled, "Ohhh, can I make it rhythm? Just like a real clue?"  
  
"Knock yourself out." She sat for a moment, tugging on the end of her sundress.  
  
"Ok, got it. Here it goes!" She took a deep breath.  
  
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who will be the last to fall? It is not your reflection, it is only a deception. Don't claim defeat, mirrors repeat."

She looked at me excitedly,  
  
"Did you like it?" I thought for a moment.  
  
"Yeah.... I think I did." Then I drank the burning tea.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And there goes the bunny in the mirror I thought in mild interest, having already witnessed this seen five times already. But now I had a hint, a hint I hoped would help. I stepped up the mirror. I looked into the mirror and was shocked to realize that I had no reflection.  
  
All these times I had been so busy to get through the day I didn't take the time to realize it was gone. It's weird, looking into a mirror and not seeing you looking back.  
  
Wait. I stepped into my reflection, did I not? I became my reflection....and mirrors can only repeat... repeat my day. Go Naomi!! Way to use that noodle! I rubbed my temples. Ok, so I stepped into my reflection...now how do I get out?  
  
I pondered this for a moment. Then I picked up a moderately sized rock from the forest ground and hurled it into the mirror.  
  
It shattered.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Little girl?" I didn't open my eyes.  
  
"Little girl! Wakey wakey!" Ices face loomed over mine.  
  
"What the fuck do you want French fry?" I asked dozily.  
  
"Oh, and the sweet princess lives!" He said sarcastically, "Now get up."  
  
I stood up shakily, my legs feeling like rubber. I shot my hand out to the side wall of the ally for support.  
  
"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.  
  
"It be Cut." Ice replied calmly. Cut? CUT!!  
  
"I know Cut!" I yelled, making my head throb, "Shes that demented little girl!"  
  
"Oui." I looked to Ice, who smiled at me.  
  
"Repeating day, non?"  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"Y' always tink y' are _soooo special_. Y' not de only one she mind messed wit. She wanted y' t' b' her friend?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It b' worse when she want y' t' b' her boyfriend." I laughed in spite of myself.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Dere." I looked over my shoulder to see a very old lady.  
  
Her gray hair was so thin over her head, patches of scalp shown through. Her gaunt face looked absolutely skeletal, and her weathered skin was stretched so tightly over her skull, that it looked like one cut might tear it all off. Her arms were nothing but sticks, attacked to her upper body that hung limply by her body.  
  
The only thing that let me know that she was alive was her eyes. The shattered ice like eyes. Or....maybe a shattered mirror.  
  
She looked at me, as if she was determining whether to knock me out again. Damn, for an old lady, she can kick the shit!! Then I remembered from Cuts rhythm.  
  
Who will be the last to fall.  
  
Well it's not going to be me bitch, I thought as I vines sprouted from the ground. She yelled out in a raspy voice, so raspy is sounded like a guy. She thrashed once, and then seemed to lose all her energy. So, she has no physical energy, only physic.  
  
"Good job," Ice muttered to me, "Icy don' b' liking dat hag around anyway. I don' know why Slade hired her. I'll make up some shit t' Slade about non being able t' save her."  
  
"Ok, you do that then."  
  
"Right. I will."  
  
"Bye... I guess."  
  
"Bye." He walked off, not looking back. I turned my attention to Cut.  
  
"Would you like some tea dear?" She asked in her raspy voice, and then laughed nastily.  
  
"No, would you like a kick in the ass?" I flipped open my communicator.  
  
"Who are you calling?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, nothing important. Just a confinement center for you to rot in for twenty years. You know, nothing big."  
  
"Its no use, you know." I looked to her.  
  
"And what is no use, may I ask?" I asked.  
  
"In a few months....nothing you do will matter." She replied her face resembling a smiling skeleton.  
  
"What do you mean?" She laughed a hissy sort of laugh,  
  
"Call your jail, girl. I can wait a few months."

StArRy- I am back!!!! So happy!!! I got home and do you know what I saw? Thirty two reviews waiting for me! MTSC review for ever chapter in all my stories! Thank you! And I must say, I was disappointed in this chapter. I meant it to be a little choppy, just because I could go threw each day five times, but I think it is too choppy. Oh well, tell me what you think. Review!!


	13. spin cycle

I was late. So very _very_ late. Robins going to _kill_ me, I thought as I landed on the pavement right outside of Millin Jr. High school, that's all there is to it. He'll slit my throat and leave me in a ditch to die.  
  
And it's not even my fault!! It's that damn laundry matt! Not even Starfire homemade "boorkal" remedy could take out the blood stains on my white uniform, which Cut had so graciously given me before messing around in my noggin. So I though, hey, maybe Lucy's Launders could sell me some kind of blood stain taker outer. It's weird. All this technology stuff and no one bothered to update laundry mats. There exactly the same. How crazy is that?  
  
Well anyway, I had gotten there and all the clothes were spinning round and round on the other side of the small clear window on the door of the washing machine. So I stopped to gaze at it for a moment.  
  
All the pretty colors spinning around... and around.... And around.... Then, next thing I know  
  
"Holy cow! One o'clock?!?!"

So here I was, halve an hour late to our new community service program. The Titans have the very special opportunity to go around to Jr. High schools and lecturing kids on why drugs are bad! But... I guess I could see a point to it. If the biggest celebrity known to your generation got in your face and told you to do something, I'm pretty sure you'd be inclined listen.  
  
So we were split up into pairs, Beastboy and Raven, Starfire and Cyborg, and I was privileged to be paired up with the ever so serine and vivacious Robin. Lord help me. So, between us, we split up the entire seventh grade class. Unfortunately for us, this particular activity is so boring we want to kill ourselves. I would rather sew curtains with Starfire.  
  
I burst through the quadruple doors that made up the entrance of this particular Jr. High. The walls were all striped with red and gold, the school colors. What was there mascot again? Some sort of moose. I looked at the options in front of me; there were three halls, all branching off in different directions. Right so which one leads to room... I checked the slip of paper. Room seventeen.  
  
Of course, I could just go and ask the office on my right, but where's the fun in that? I randomly selected the hall farthest to my left, and started walking down it, glancing briefly at the schools somewhat empty trophy case. I stopped at the first door in that hall. Room thirty four? Well it's not this hall.  
  
I paused for a moment, peeking inside the room curiously. Inside, a middle aged male teacher was droning about the Civil War, almost in tune to the scratching of the pencils on smooth paper. My heart drooped slightly, remembering being in school myself. Then I noticed in amusement, two girls not paying attention to the teacher at all. They were instead making faces at each other and tossing notes from across the room. Just like Jessi and me-  
  
"Tabitha! Amanda!!" The male teacher snapped, looking up from the textbook from which he had been reading to the class, "Detention for the both of you! I am _sick_ and _tired_ of you two screwing around in my class! And don't even think about showing up late again!"  
  
The two girls looked at him in mild interest, then burst out laughing, which made him angrier. Wow! The vein on his forehead looks like its going to pop with anger!  
  
Jessi and I used to be late to detentions all the time! Well, when we bothered showing up. Late? Late!! I'm late!!  
  
I dashed away from the room, back to the entrance of the school. This time, I ventured down the hall farthest to my right, and sure enough, the first room was numbered with a one. I jogged down the hall, counting the numbers go up on the right side of the hall.  
  
One...Two...three...Four...he's going to kill me...Five... Six...or worse than death, the guilt trip...Seven...Eight...Nine.... Stupid laundry matt it's all your fault!!...Ten... Eleven...Twelve... Twelve? I was at the end of the hall... and it stopped at Twelve.  
  
"What the..." Then I could have kicked myself. Duh!!! The numbers continue going up down and back the hall! Room seventeen was almost where you started! Such a blond moment. I was going to continue to my destination when I was distracted again.  
  
"And so... drugs are really... bad," I heard Beastboys voice looming from room thirteen, "Just be yourself... because that's...um.. What's really....cool."  
  
I smiled as I peeked in the open door at him. He was standing at the front of the class, uncomfortable shuffling his note card, and throwing pleading looks for help to Raven, who was sitting in a swiveled chair in the corner and obviously had no intention of helping. She was far too busily glaring daggers at any boy or girl who dared gawk at her. Poor little green. I stuck my head in the class room.  
  
"_Beastboy? Pist!! BB! It's me!!_" I pretended to whisper, knowing that everyone in the room heard. They all turned around to look at me, some smiling, some...not so smiley. Beastboy looked up to me and grinned.  
  
"Naomi? Where the hell have you been? Robins gone psychotic! Well, more than usual. He's pissed off his _ass_!" Now the entire class was listening two Beastboys and my conversation that we were "whispering" to each other.  
  
"BB!" I exclaimed, pretending to be shocked, "this is a learning facility! Profanity and any other forms of offensive language are inappropriate for school use!!" He laughed,  
  
"Sorry, the last thing in the world I'd want to do is deflect Gothoms youths educational experience with vulgarity."  
  
"Yeah... that's what I thought. Buh bye Mr. Teacher Beastboy. Bye less enthused Teacher Raven." Raven looked up at me and showed her boundless affection for me by telekinetically hurling very sharp and pointy scissors right at my eye. I ducked of course, therefore lodging the siccors into the wall behind me and not my skull. I waved goodbye to them and jogged down the hall once more, this time looking on the right side of the hall.  
  
Thirteen... Fourteen...Fifteen...Sixteen...and....Seventeen! I made it! With no injuries! I paused for a moment outside the door, just to see how Robin was doing on his own.  
  
"I am _so_ sorry," He apologized from inside the class, "I guess for _some_ of us it is just to _complicate_ to show up on time." Damn. Robin is not a happy camper. I better make it look like I had been hurrying. I backed up away from the doorway, and then burst in dramatically.  
  
"Sorry!" I exclaimed, panting as if I had been running, "I was hypnotized by the spin cycle at the laundry matt!!" The whole class burst out laughing. I stopping my pretend panting and was genuinely confused. It wasn't that funny....  
  
"The laundry matt?" Robin asked in a dangerous voice," You're _forty five minutes late_ because...you were watching the cloths spin at the laundry matt?!?!" Oh....maybe I should have made up a better excuse.  
  
"Yeah.... Well... I think there's something suspicious going on there!" I said seriously, trying to make the laundry mat sound someway life threatening, therefore making me late. Robin was silent. I couldn't tell if he was amused or mad.  
  
I wish I could see his eyes so I could read his emotions!! You can force a smile, or a frown, but eyes never lie. Never. Maybe that's why he wears that mask.  
  
"Naomi, just get over here," He smiled. Oh good, he's amused. I pushed my way through the rows of desks, each little face I looking up at me, wide eyed and eager. I widened my eyes as wide as I could, staring back at them looking slightly insane. I stepped up beside Robin, and smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Right so as I was saying. Don't do drugs. It's seriously not worth it. Thank you." The class erupted into applause as I looked around confusedly.  
  
"Its over?" I asked stupidly.  
  
"Yes, Naomi. Its over. If you had come forty five minutes ago...." He left it hanging.  
  
"Don't do drugs!!" I called out desperately, feeling that I needed to at least contribute something to this lecture. Robin shook his head.  
  
"You're hopeless."  
  
"No, I'm Naomi, remember?"  
  
"Same thing." I pretended to be offended and bonked him over the head with the back of my hand.  
  
"Naomi? Naomi!" I turned around to the class who were already out of there seats, chatting amongst themselves, but one girl with brown hair was waving her hand frantically. I assume she had a question.  
  
"Yes?" I asked the petit girl.  
  
"Well, I was wondering," she licked her lips nervously, "How do you become a titan?" A stir rippled through the class, obviously this was a much talked about subject. I thought for a minute.  
  
"Well, I think if you're gifted with special powers... we just kind of recruit you." I glanced to Robin who nodded his head approvingly.  
  
"How do you know if you got powers?" asked a sandy haired boy with an annoyingly turned up nose.  
  
"Well, super powers tend to manifest within you until you hit puberty. Many people think it's because that you body is making so many physical and hormonal changes; it just kind of gets drawn out. But... I have a different theory." I glanced to Robin, who actually looked somewhat interested about my theory of the manifestation of powers,  
  
"I think it's because when you're a teenager, your hormones magnify your emotions to tremendous levels. Each feeling is so strong at this age, that anything is the end of the world. Or the best thing that ever happened to you. You know? Powers are so heavily driven by emotion, and when you're a teen, you lose control of your emotions, your powers come out as an emotional reaction to what you're feeling."  
  
"I wish I had powers," The sandy haired boy whispered to his friend sitting next to him, who nodded in agreement. Such foolish children, I thought, smiling slightly, so caught up in the longing for an exciting life that they don't even realize what they have. Things they'll long for once there gone.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"Finally!" Cyborg groaned as we all met up outside the school after lecturing all day. I must say, after playing teacher for a day, I feel the smallest twinge of guilt at how much hell I gave my teachers back in the day.  
  
Just a little, and.... Guilts gone!  
  
We all began comparing the things that happened during our lectures.  
  
"One child asked me if we had "human zoos" on my home planet." Star said wide-eyed. Well did they?  
  
"That's nothing! Some stupid little kid asked me about my wet dreams!!" Beastboy exclaimed, looking traumatized, "No joke! I was all, 'don't do drugs, do life'. Then he raises his hand and asked...never mind, I won't say. But trust me, it was bad."  
  
"Wet dream?" Star asked, looking lost, "I was under the impression that "dream" was the human word for the state during an unconscious state where the mind becomes temporarily disorientated, creating illusions in ones brain."  
  
I stared at her. "Yeah... that too."  
  
"So how is something that is purely mental be considered to be wet?" She asked, getting slightly frustrated with herself for not being able to understand.  
  
"Have Robin explain it to you." Raven said in her monotone voice. That's perfect! Good job Raven! I smiled,  
  
"I'm rubbing off on you Raven! Admit it!" She rolled her eyes,  
  
"Yes, although it is slightly terrifying." I can live with that.  
  
"Are you avoiding answering my ponderment?" Asked Starfire to Robin, who was clearly trying to think up any excuse under the sun not to have to explain wet dreams to Star. But most unfortunately, we were interrupted.  
  
"Go on Roni!"  
  
"Yeah, shes not going to bite your head off!"  
  
I turned to see three girls from the Jr. High, approaching us cautiously. What are we? Wild animals? Know to attack at the drop of a hat?  
  
"Greetings!" Starfire said perkily, seeming to have forgotten about her ponderment, Robin couldn't even try to hide his relief.  
  
"Hi," they all chorused back. I recognized one of the girls as the brunette from the lecture I was late for. She was being pushed along by her friends to come over to us. Her friends pushed her up to me. She smiled shyly at me and fidgeted.  
  
"My god Roni!" one of her friends cried out in frustration, rolling her green eyes dramatically.  
  
"This is Roni," She informed me, "You're her favorite Titan. She thinks you the funniest." Me? Funny? I was flattered.  
  
"Oh why thank you," I said, pretending to blush. I looked at the girl closer. She had the sweetest face I had ever seen, so pure and innocent. Her eyes were bright brown eyes looked away from me, a little shyly and she tucked a piece of her woody brown hair behind her ear. She had a similar hair cut to Ravens, but not as drastic. Like she had had it at one point and was now growing it out.  
  
She was wearing stylish blue jeans and a pink tank top. I smiled again at her, and she returned a small grin. Her friend tapped her foot impatiently, then seemed to have had it with her friend's shyness and punched her in the arm.  
  
"Oh!" Roni seemed to have remembered what she came here for, "Yeah, um, Naomi? I was wondering...May I take your picture? It's for a web site project for my computer class." Is that all?  
  
"Sure, we can be in it together." Her face lit up, she honesty had the expression on her face one would have after winning a trillion dollars  
  
"_Really?_ Thank you! Thank you, thank you!" She handed the digital camera she had been wearing around her neck to her friend, so she could take your picture. She walked up to my side; a little stiff legged, trying to hard not to look stupid. I laughed and hugged her for a pose for the camera.  
  
"Try to get Naomi's good side!!" Beastboy called out, "It would certainly be a side we haven't seen before!" I rolled my eyes as he laughed hysterically.  
  
"Dose anyone notice that Beastboy laughs at all his own jokes?" Asked Raven to no one in particular.  
  
"_Someone's_ got to," I responded smartly. Beastboy yelled out in mock pain, clenching his heart.  
  
"Your words wound me like a thought spears in my chest." He said seriously.  
  
"Shut up!" Roni's friend commanded to the elf, "I'm trying to take a picture here!"  
  
"Cheese!"  
  
**Click.**  
  
"Cheese?" Star pondered aloud to herself dreamily, "processed milk?" Poor Star. Shes not having a good day with understanding things.  
  
"Let me see the picture!" I demanded very politely as I reached for the camera. I looked at the back screen and looked at the image taken. Sure enough I was one the small screen hugging a very overwhelmed looking Roni. It was a good picture, even though I had to bend down slightly to hug her, it was cute. She thanked me over and over.  
  
"Sure, no problem-o. So, a web site huh? About the titans?"  
  
"No, just you." I smiled. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends, but it was kind of nice to have some "all you" attention.  
  
"Roni _always_ does school projects on Naomi." One of her friends said absentmindedly,  
  
"No matter what it is, she even managed to mention you in our vocab exercise. It was all- Write a sentence showing a clear subject, noun and verb, and she wrote: 'Naomi is the coolest person.' Seriously."  
  
I smiled, this girl... she reminded me of my little sister. My little sister used to idolize me. No matter what I did, she thought it was brilliant. She'd follow me around, watching my every move so she could copy it when my back was turned. It used to annoy me, but I miss it now. I miss her.  
  
I miss my baby sister so much.  
  
I wonder if she grew up to be an entirely different person with out me as a role model. I looked to the small girl in front of me.  
  
"Hey Roni? Want more picts for your site?"  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"Oh! That's a good one!" I pointed the screen on the camera. It was me, my foot inches away from connecting with Mammoths jaw.  
  
"Ok, save it!" Roni pressed the save button on the camera, then pressed next image. The new picture flicked onto the screen.  
  
"Ohhh, that's good to! I had no idea I was so photogenic when knocking out teeth!!" It was me again, a shot form behind, giving a spinning kick to my very good friend Jinxs face.  
  
"Yeah, save it." She saved it then pressed next.  
  
"Oh! Panty shot!!" I quickly covered the screen with my hand, "Delete it!"  
  
"_Are you crazy!?!_" Beastboy roared, taking a great leap over the back of the red sofa to where Roni and I were sitting.  
  
"Don't delete it!! Give it to me!!!"  
  
"No!!" I cried, clutching the camera to my chest as Beastboy tried to grab it.  
  
"Come on!!" He wailed, trying to pry the camera out of my grasp while Roni laughed.  
  
"Why do you want it anyway?" I asked, struggling to talk from the effort of holding Beastboy back, "For blackmail?"  
  
"Well, that's halve of it," he replied grinning coyly.  
  
"You perv."  
  
"You can have a boxer shot of me!!" I decided not to answer that one. I used my foot to slowly pry him far enough for me to press the delete button.  
  
"Aw man!" He wined as I grinned in victory.  
  
"Sorry Charlie. Go buy yourself a porno."  
  
"A porno.... There's an idea!" he joked as he left the living room for the elevator. I shook my head laughing as I handed the camera back to Roni.  
  
"You two are going out, right?"  
  
"Yeah, unfortunately."  
  
"Hey! I heard that!! These elf ears aren't _just_ for sexiness purposes you know!!" I laughed again, feeling that my stomach would burst from all this laughing.  
  
"Sooo," I said, breathing out the last bit of laughter, and turning my attention back to Roni, "Do you need more pictures? You didn't get very many." This was a lie. I think I might be forever blind by that camera flash. But when we went through the inventory, most of the pictures made me look psychotic, or possessed by the devil. So they got deleted  
  
"Yeah..." She said slowly," Yeah... I do. I'll come back tomorrow, okay? For more pictures?"  
  
"Sure, you need a ride home?"  
  
"No, I'll take the bus. Thank you."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Wow," I exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen where everyone was setting the table for dinner, "I've got a paparazzi, and this time it's in the form of a little girl, not a blood thirsty reporter. It's a nice change."  
  
"You know Naomi?" Robin said as he placed cups of soda on the table, knowing exactly who wanted what type of soda, "You're really doing a nice thing for this little girl."  
  
"Yeah," Beastboy chimed in, "And I suppose its not so bad to be worshiped like a goddesses either, Naomi?" I smiled,  
  
"Yeah, but that's not why I'm doing it." I started placing napkins on the table as Robin left the room, accidentally giving five to raven. "Shes a really sweet kid. Eager, but sweet. She reminds me of my little sister I suppose. And also, you know how important it is to have a role model at that age. Kids that are just starting to enter the world of teen years need to find out what kind of person they want to be, and the most natural thing is to copy someone older."  
  
"Yeah..." Beastboy said dreamily, "I had a role model when I was ten."  
  
"Who, dare I ask?"  
  
"Crispy Pete." I started making gagging noises.  
  
"Don't gag at me! He was!"  
  
For all you out there who have the blessed with the privilege of not know who Crispy Pete is, he's this futuristic comedian that is so lame you want to hang yourself. He always wore a multi colored suit, and he had a fro.  
  
"BB..."  
  
"He was!! I splashed all my shirts with paint to muilti color them! And I grew a small fro!" I stopped in mid breath. I slowly turned my head to look at Beastboy.  
  
"Please say it isn't so."  
  
"I did."  
  
"Please, you're breaking my heart."  
  
"What's wrong with fros?"  
  
"Do I really need to answer that question, love?"  
  
"Friend Cyborg? Tell us amusing tales of an elder that you mimicked at an insecure stage in you adolescent hood," Starfire said quickly, interrupting Beastboy and my conversation. Cyborg thought for a moment, crunching on potato chips, even though we were going to eat in thirty seconds. He swallowed his mouthful then replied,  
  
"Ya know? It had to be Spot Johnson." Well that was a given. Spot J. was only the greatest athlete known to this generation.  
  
"Yeah, when I was like five, I had this Spot sports jersey that I wore _every_ single day. I refused to take it off. My mom would have to sneak into my room in the middle of the night to take it off me while I was sleeping and wash it. But she had to get it back on me before I woke up or I'd start screaming." He crumpled up his chip bag and shot it into the trash can.  
  
"Star, your turn. Who was your role model when you were small?" She scrunched up her big green eyes , trying to remember.  
  
"When I was a small child... I do believe I mimicked the galactic ambassador of galaxy 23a, quadrant 2. I'd see him on communications and wish myself to be a galactic ambassador one day."  
  
That is so perfect. I could completely see Star being an ambassador. Is that why she came to Earth? She always becomes quite distant when I ask her. Who knows? She could use her Earth experience for training to be an ambassador. I'll ask her after dinner.  
  
"Yes. And I was ever so disappointed when discovered it was not in my genetic DNA to grow tentacles." Star laughed as she sat down. I looked eyes with Beastboy, we both mutually agreed not to ask Starfire why she wanted tentacles.  
  
"Raven? Your turn," Cyborg announced. Raven was silent for a few minutes. At first I thought she just wasn't going to answer the question, and I was surprised when she did.  
  
"My cousin. She was the one who taught me meditation, and to control my powers to the degree I do. I did, and still have a deep respect for her." She thought for a moment, "And she could always crush more blotates than I could."  
  
"What are blotates, Raven?" I asked grinning, "Some fuzzy woodland creatures of your planet?" She just gazed at me, the corner of one side of her mouth strangely upturned. Oh lord....did they really....  
  
"Naomi? Who was yours?" Beastboy looked to me, obviously wanting to make fun of any hero I had to get back at me laughing at Crispy. I thought for a moment.  
  
"I... never had one. I've always just wanted to be me...and that was good enough for me." Raven arched her eyebrow, thinking that I was embarrassed about my role model and didn't want to admit it, but it's true. I've never wanted to be anyone but me.  
  
"Pizza here!" Robin announced, carrying in four boxes of pizza. Oh joy, pizza again. Who need victims? Just eat pizza! Your kidneys won't deteriorate for about..._oh_...seven more years, that's plenty of time to live the rest of your life.  
  
"Oh! Oh! Did you get me veggie lover's _Robby poo_?" Asked Beastboy happy to ingest anything that had ingredients that were unpronounceable.  
  
"Of course, "Robin replied, handing Beastboy his small veggie lovers pizza, "Don't call me Robby poo."  
  
"And my meat lovers?"  
  
"Yes," Robin handed Cyborg medium large pizza, encrusted with the flesh of other animals.  
  
"Wow, you two are very different types of lovers," I said, trying to suppress a smile. Beastboy smiled, his cheeks puffed out from the pizza inside.  
  
"You know it baby!!" Beastboy said, but due to the fact that he had crammed an entire slice of pizza into his mouth it sounded like,  
  
"Oo o et aby!!"  
  
"I'm sorry, what was that last part?" I asked. He grinned then swallowed the _entire an entire slice of pizza_! He's going to kill himself!!! He's a hazard to himself!! After all those freaks Slades sent after us, he's going to choke to death because him and Cyborg are trying to see who can stuff more pizza into there mouths.  
  
"Hey Naomi!"  
  
"Hey what, Beastboy?"  
  
"Come sit on my lap!" I looked at him strangely.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I want to feed you pizza." Oh god, he's going to kill me now. But I was a good sport and sat on his lap. Cyborg found this immensely funny and started making sexual noises from across the table. That is, until Starfire hit him over the head with a plate.  
  
"Ignore Cyborg, friends. Please continue with your force feeding ritual as if Cyborg is not among us."  
  
"But Star! That's what I always do!!" I was actually surprised she got it. She laughed. I turned my attention back to Beastboy,  
  
"Why do even want to feed me pizza anyways?"  
  
"He wants to be able to at least put something in her mouth." Cyborg said grinning nastily. It took me a few minutes to register what he had just implied.  
  
"CYBORG!!!!" I screeched, in halve horror, halve amusement, and halve discussed. Wait too many haves. Oh well, I was feeling all of them. Starfire had no idea what Cyborg had just said, but could tell from my reaction that it wasn't good.  
  
"Come Cyborg," She said crossly, "You are intruding on Naomi's and Beastboys force feeding and making rude comments! I sentence you to "time out!" Everyone suppressed laughs.  
  
"Time out?" Cyborg asked disbelievingly. Star seemed to waver slightly.  
  
"Am I mistaken? When a minor offence is taken, the offender is sentenced to a time period of "time out?"  
  
"Yes Star," I said seriously, "Put him in time out. Make him think about what he has done."  
  
"That I will do my friend!" Starfire said importantly as she dragged Cyborg out of the kitchen, into the living room.  
  
"Now where were we?" asked Beastboy thoughtfuly when Cyborg had left the room,"Oh yeah." He held the pizza slice up to my lip, but I was giggling so hard I couldn't eat it.  
  
"Naomi! Stop being difficult! I'm _trying_ to be romantic here!" This made me laugh even harder because it was pizza. He was wooing me with a slice of pizza. Dear lord. Then, he got the brilliant idea that I might be more tempted to eat if I mistook the pizza for a train.  
  
"Choo choo! It's the belly express! Ready to departure for the tunnel of yum!!!" By now it was imposable for me to eat, I was laughing so hard. It was just the way he said it. It was too funny. Finally I stopped giggling for a split secant to breath and Beastboy crammed the pizza in my mouth. The pizza was now cold, but still good.  
  
"Mmmm." I hummed as I chewed it.  
  
"Mmmm." He mimicked for no apparent reason.  
  
"Naomi?" I looked up and saw Starfire in the doorway.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked as I swallowed the bite of pizza.  
  
"I was pondering, how much time would need to pass to make a time out efficient? "  
  
"A lot Starry." I said seriously, "Or else he won't learn his lesson. I say an hour at least. Two if he wines about it."  
  
"Affirmative." She then left once more to deal with Cyborg the verbal offender. I listened intently, not wanting to miss Cyborgs reaction. Sure enough-  
  
"You've got to be kidding. There is no way in _hell_ I'm going to sit her for an hour! Are you crazy?!?I'm older than you!" There was a silence.  
  
"Star? What are you doing? Star? STAR! _Put..... down... the.... Game.... station_!.....................I don't care the methods of persuasion they use your planet! Put it down!!" I giggled,  
  
"Go Starry! That's my girl! Get him where it hurts!" But Beastboy was less amused.  
  
"You don't think she'd actually hurt it do you? It's just some persuasion thing right? She won't break it, right?"  
  
"I don't know," I replied, "You never know with that one."  
  
"I think I'll go check my... the...thing..." Beastboy said. I got off him and he went to go check on his "thing".  
  
Now, if I was a stupid girlfriend I would go on a rampage on how he cared more about his stupid video games more than about me. But I'm not that kind of girl. I go ballistic about lots of stupid things, but not something like that.  
  
I ate the rest of the slice myself.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
**Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! **Click**!!!! I half opened my eyelids, not wanting to be blinded.  
  
"Roni?" **Click**!!!!  
  
"Yes Naomi?" **Click**!!!!  
  
"Tell me what's so interesting about Raven and me playing cards that you have to take a million pictures not to miss a second of the excitement?"  
  
"Yeah, well," **Click**!!!!, "I was thinking of instead of just one gallery, I could have ten, each organized by the pictures. I was thinking one could be for games and leisure. Good idea, huh!"  
  
She was so cute; I couldn't bring myself to turn her away. She was so sweet. Sweeter than sugar. But at the same time, like a cute little puppy dog that adores you so much, it follows you around, and yaps when it's away from you and won't give you a moment of peace. Raven smirked,  
  
"Getting tired of you little shadow are you?" Roni looked shocked,  
  
"I'm not annoying you, am I?"  
  
"Of course not. Raven is crazy and doesn't know what shes saying. She belongs in a nut hut."  
  
"Aren't I already in one?" She muttered, but her eyes glowed a bit, not the, _"shes using her powers, take cover glow"_ the, "_I've got friends. I can't believe I really have friends glow."_ She won't admit it for the world, but she likes us, shes just convinced herself that she doesn't need anyone. Shes a hard one to understand, but I think I do to some degree, and that's why she puts up with me.  
  
Roni smiled and snapped twenty thousand more pictures. Raven gave me a challenging look as she laid down her hand.  
  
Three of heats. King of Clubs, Three of Spades, and one of Spades.  
  
"Go fish!" I cried out happily.  
  
"Damn, she whispered, drawing four cards, then two more. Naomi's turn! I confidently laid down my hand.  
  
Ace of Clovers, Nine of Cloves, A Queen of hears, and a One of Diamonds.  
  
"Fuck!!" Raven swore.  
  
"Yes!!" I cried out, "Ono!! I _win_!"  
  
"You only won because you cheated." Raven muttered.  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Yes you did. You drew the cards twice as fast as you were allowed."  
  
"What were you exactly playing?" asked Roni curiously. Raven and I looked to each other.  
  
"We don't exactly know." I replied as Raven mouth twitched into an almost smile, "It started out as go fish, but then we started comparing whole hands, then we mixed Ono cards into it. And now.... I don't know what it was."  
  
"Yes, and Naomi cheated."  
  
"Did not! You're just a sore loser!"  
  
"Don't make me melt your brain cells," Ravens said dully, "But then again, you'd need brains cells to melt." I was about to strike back with a witty comeback, but I stopped myself.  
  
"No... no. I refuse to be provoked. I win, and there is nothing you can do about it. Hand over the prize." Raven glowered, but handed over the stinger I had wanted for so long.  
  
"Hehehe!" I giggled insanely, as I held the five inch stinger from that one insect guy we fought about a month ago. I forget his "super cool villain name", but I do remember the lunatic stinging us with it.  
  
He had somehow genetically adapted his body to one of wasps, and decided he wanted to take over the city. That's the mistake they all make. So he literally stung us with the stingers attached to his wrists!! After we, and I'm serious, used this wasp poison we bought at a garden shop to kill him, the stingers fell off his body as he shriveled to basically nothing. One was lost forever, and the one we found was harshly fought for, with a game of rock paper scissors.  
  
I always pick scissors always!! I don't know why. Probably because I think scissors are more damaging in general. Like paper? How can you hurt a rock with a pick of paper? The rock doesn't breath, how could this hurt it? But I choose scissors and Raven choose rock. I have the sneaking suspicion she read my mind, but oh well. It's mine now.  
  
Now, don't be a fool to think this is just a stinger. It amazing. It fell of the owner, but still was alive as a living organ! Producing this poison. Not "_I'm going to kill you poison_", more like, "_I'm going to send you body into a state of shock_" poison. Its so cool!!  
  
Now, it was mine! All mine! I giggled insanely, holding the black stinger above my head.  
  
And Cyborg chose that particular moment to walk into the living room, holding a bowl of popcorn. Popcorn in which he promptly dropped when he say me dancing around with a poisonous stinger over my head.  
  
"Raven? You gave it to her? You _GAVE IT TO HER_!!! What the _HELL WERE_ you thinking?!?!? Naomi's _already_ dangerous armed with two hands! And now you give her a Nectars _stinger_!?!?"  
  
Oh yeah, his name had been Nectar, hadn't it? At first I thought it was a funny name, until I learned that he considered human blood as nectar. Then it wasn't funny anyone.  
  
"I didn't _give_ it to her. I lost it in a card game that doesn't even exist." Raven glowered. For shame Raven! Gambling your life way! I clutched my stinger happily.  
  
What fun I will have! Just wait until I tell Fred!!  
  
"I'll play you for it!!" Roni said excitedly. I looked to her. Of course. If I want it, she wants to at least pretend she wants it too. Of course she wants to play!  
  
"Ok," I said smiling, knowing there was no way I could lose.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooOO  
  
I lost?  
  
I looked down at the cards. _No_! There must be some mistake!  
  
"Oh did I win?" Roni smiled happily.  
  
"You sure did kid!" Cyborg said congratulating her, "And here's your prize!" He pressed my stinger into her little fist.  
  
"No! No... this isn't right!" I babbled disbelievingly. Roni looked at me in concern.  
  
"Its ok Naomi, I didn't really want it, I just wanted to play cards with you."  
  
"No! It's your prize!" Cyborg insisted, "You won it fair and square! And look at the time!" He pulled her to her feet. "We are very busy! Sorry!" He pushed her out the door of the tower, while I sat numbly on the ground. For ten glorious minutes, I had been the happiest girl alive, now... I was stinger less.  
  
Cyborg breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door.  
  
"Sorry Nomi homi," Cyborg said, patting my back comfortingly, "But you're dangerous enough without stingers, pointy objects, or glue."  
  
_Glue? Glue... That's an idea!  
_  
"That can be my new thing! I'll be a glue fiend!" I mumbled, thinking no one could hear me.  
  
"What?" asked Raven, who was shuffling the cards telekinetically in the air.  
  
"Glue. I could glue thing together! Super glue things...." Raven glared at Cyborg who threw his hands up in the air in defeat.  
  
"Well, its better than a stinger isn't it?" He asked defensibly as he sat down on the red sofa. __

_Glue.... So....May.....Possibilities....._  
  
"Titans?" Robin entered the living room looking...strange. We all looked to Robin.  
  
"What." Raven asked, sensing something wrong with Robin.  
  
"I..." he paused, "I have some bad news."  
  
_Rocks. I could glue rocks together. And I could glue doorknobs shut.....yeah....like to the bathroom, but not mine of course._  
  
"There was abduction."  
  
_And my fingers! I'll glue them together! God knows when I'll ever get them apart!  
_  
"Who? Anyone we know?"  
  
_And the zipper on Beastboys pants. Then I'll pretend like I'm ready to give him some, then he can't get his pants off. No... that's mean. I'll save it for Ice.  
  
_"The report given says she was approximately a twelve year old girl. With brown hair and brown eyes. She was...no farther than three hundred feet from the tower when her abductors pulled her into a car no less than ten minutes ago."  
  
_But how would I get the glue on- Wait..._ I slowly lifted my eyes to Rabin in horror.  
  
"I'm so sorry Naomi." He whispered.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
StArRy- Dear lord. That is a long ass chapter. My longest every. It is three in the morning now. I started at nine o'clock. That took so fucking long! But I really wanted to get this chapter out to you guys. I just hope it wasn't boring or anything. Poor Roni. Poor little kid.  
  
But on a happier note, I am going to write notes to my most faithful reviewers.  
  
Brassbananas- I'm glad you thought it was suspenseful! I hope it kept you at the edge of your seat until the bitter end!  
  
x-RAVEN-x –I felt so bad when I left for Thailand and review was all "_what's going to happen?"_ I hope it was worth waiting for!  
  
Raven The Sorceress -your review was funny! I'm glad you love me and my stories! Do you have any stories? Id love to read one. I always go through my reviews and read the stories the reviews have wrote.  
  
softballtitan009-You still here? That makes me so happy! My very first review is still with me! Oh, I reviewed for your story, take a lookie!  
  
Raven A. Star-You review for every chapter, which means a lot to me, I like to look back over past chapters and see what people thought of if, you know? To help improve my writing.  
  
boogalaga-ok, this girl can write like none other. I'm not kidding. If you like my stories you love hers. Her newest story Mage? Gold. I reviewed for every chapter. Some stories are boring, you tend to kinda skip stuff when you read it, but this one, you cant take your eyes off the screen. You have to scrap them off. With an ice scraper.  
  
sparrow -do you have a profile? Do you have any stories? I'd love to read them if you do! You always leave the nicest reviews!  
  
Marshmello Da Strawberry Cow- oh my fucking god. This chick is crazy man! Permanent sugar rush!! Hehehe! You know I love my Canadian chum! And I'm sorry, never again will I mention...the thing....you know...from the children's book? I'll keep it hush hush. Hehehe!


	14. unhinged

"Can you tell us exactly what you saw, Mrs. Wagner?" asked Robin, as he leaned slightly on the counter.  
  
"Well," The plump elderly lady began, "I was standing right here, making an apple pie" She stepped to the middle of her kitchen, right next to an unfinished pie on the counter, near Robin, "And, I hear this noise. So I walked right here, right to my kitchen window. And I see, I see this little girl! Being pulled into a car!"  
  
She was the sweetest old lady, and the poor thing seemed to be struggling to control herself after such an exciting event.  
  
"Did you see who pulled her into the car?" Asked Beastboy, who was standing very close to me, hoping he could comfort me.  
  
"No....no. My eyesight's not as good as it used to be. All I saw was two arms pulling her into the passenger's side as she was kicking and screaming. But.... that's all I saw."  
  
I was seething with fury. I stood stiffly, with my arms crossed, with my nails digging into the skin of my own arm to keep myself from going ballistic and tearing apart the city looking for Roni.  
  
I didn't dare open my mouth, for fear of what I might say.  
  
"Did you see the car ma'me?" Robin asked patiently.  
  
"It was...black." She replied, looking up to the ceiling thoughtfully.  
  
"Well that's just great!!" I exploded, "A fine start! Its not like there aren't twenty million black cars in this damn city!" See? That's what I was talking about.  
  
"Then what happened?" Robin asked hurriedly as Mrs. Wagner looked at me, stunned at my outburst.  
  
"Yes, yes well." She continued, still looking at me uneasily, "After the car pulled away with the little girl, I called my grandson to ask what I should do. He called the police for me. And then I suppose they told you."  
  
Great. That's so fucking great. Roni was literally taken five minutes after leaving the tower. If Mrs. Wilson had just the police instead of her grandson- No.... Shut up Naomi. I'm not being fair. This poor lady is trying to help. But that just dose not change the fact that I have to find Roni at any cost.  
  
Poor little thing! She must be terrified. If they're hurting her...oh god if they're hurting her, I'll rip them apart. I swear I will.  
  
"Show us where the abduction happened," I said shortly, not trusting myself to say another word. Mrs. Wagner nodded, and led us out of her sweet little home, to the street outside. "There," she said, pointing to the side of the road closest to her house, right beside the sidewalk. I bent over the ground. The dirt near the sidewalk was deeply scuffed, proving there had been a struggle, the grass was even completely uprooted in one area.  
  
"Nomi, look," I straightened up and turned to Cyborg, who was holding something he had picked up. He placed it into my outstretched hand. It was Roni's camera. She must have dropped it while she was struggling to get way. A gleam of hope streaked my mind.  
  
I turned it on and started flipping through the pictures taken on the digital camera.  
  
"What are you-" Raven began, looking over my shoulder.  
  
"There!" I cried, pointing to the screen on the back of the camera. The team crowed around the small machine, looking intently. It was the last image on the camera. In the image, a hand, Roni's probably, was covering halve the picture, but there was a decent sized chunk left to show the face of the abductor.  
  
He was.... Strange looking. His skin was blue, yes blue. His long navy blue hair a little past his ears, giving him a sort of romantic look. His eyes were sky blue, and catlike, and the pupil's were oval shaped. He didn't look very old, no older than Ice. His face...didn't look evil. He had a pained expression on his face, as if he was pleading with Roni to cooperate.  
  
"Right. We have a lead." I straightened up. "A black car and blue skin. Lets go."  
  
"Friend Naomi, please clam down," Starfire pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her chest begging, "We need to think of a plan-"  
  
"No Star. No plan. Action." My mind was racing at the speed of light. How many minutes have passed since Roni's abduction? Fifteen? He might not have gotten too far. Without warning I shot into the air, flying so swift, I could hardly hear my friends calling me to come back.  
  
I rose a couple thousand feet into the air. From up here, houses looked like small square boxes, each set in perfect patterns. The trees were small green dots, speckling the ground randomly. And roads were thin lines weaving it all together. From the ground, people can't really observe how organized our world is. How all the houses are grouped together, into little neighborhoods, and how all the cars speeding down the road stop and go in sync with one another.  
  
But I have bigger things to worry about than my birds eye view of things. I glided down maybe a hundred feet, keeping my vision directed on the road near Mrs. Wagner's house.  
  
There! A black car! Not even a mile away! I shot down at breakneck speed. The world rushed up to me, almost giving me the illusion that I was shrinking. I didn't even bother to slow down when I hit the pavement in the middle of the street, my knees cracked agonizingly, but I ignored it. I could only think about Roni's terrified expression. I stood defiantly in the road, the black truck rushing up to me at a tremendous speed.  
  
"Stop!" I yelled, raising my hand up. I cold see the driver's expression turn to shock as he saw me, right in the middle of the road. He slammed on the brakes, causing the car to slip a couple feet, leaving smoking black skid marks of the road. I dashed up to his side window.  
  
"I have full law enforcement authority. I have the right to search your car. If you refuse, it can held against you in court."  
  
The middle-aged balding man opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, obviously in shock as his hands gripped the steering wheel of his car tightly.  
  
"Naomi! Please!" Starfires voice rang behind me, "Please control yourself!" My head snapped around. Another black car just sped by! I rose off the ground, ready to hunt it down, but Star grabbed my arm.  
  
"Please friend! You're frightening me!"  
  
"Let go Star!" I tried to pry her astonishingly strong fingers off my arm. Why couldn't she see? Roni could be here! We could get her back before its too late! Why is she stopping me?  
  
"No! I refuse! Your.... acting unwise! You could injure yourself!"  
  
"I said let go!" I was starting to use my full body force to get way from her. I didn't want to calm down. I didn't want to be reasonable. Reasonable means reality. Reality means pain, pain not just for me.  
  
"Comrade! Stop your struggling! I do not wish us to fight!"  
  
"Really? Because that's where you're heading." I snarled. We lost our balance and tumbled to the ground. I hit my head slightly, which for some reason seemed to clear it a bit. I sat up and looked to Starfire whose body had gone rigid, she even let go of my arm.  
  
"Did you truthfully indicate that, friend?" She whispered, her eyes unusually dull.  
  
"No, of course not," I muttered, rubbing the dirt off my skirt.  
  
"Then why did you speak it?"  
  
"I just..." I breathed deeply, "Star, Roni was like a sister to me. I've only known her for a couple weeks, but I've already begun to think of her like a very annoying and very eager little sister. And I will rip this city apart to find her."  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"Do you recognize him?" I asked Ice, holding the printed version of the picture from Roni's camera under his nose. He examined the picture, and took a long drag of his cigarette.  
  
"Maybe," he exhaled, sending wisps of smoke from his mouth into the crisp night air, "But even if Ice did, why would Ice tell y'?" I looked into his cool gray eyes.  
  
"Because if you had any speck of humanity, you would tell me. For the twelve year old girl who has noting to do with us or Slade." He took another drag of his cigarette, before flicking the stub on the ground and using the toe of his shoe to crush the glowing tip.  
  
As he exhaled the last of the smoke, he rolled his eyes upward to the stars, obviously thinking it over. Ice might be narcissistic, and a perverted scumbag, but I know he's not cruel. And I know that he wouldn't let a twelve-year-old girl get hurt. But, of course, he would have to make it look like he had other intentions before telling me anything.  
  
"Tell y' what, little girl," he murmured, a stray wisp of smoke escaping his lips, "Ice will tell y' all dat he know about dat homme right dere, but only if y' answer one question for Ice." Is it that easy? I eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Have y' now, or ever liked Ice?" he asked seriously. I breathed a short laugh, looking everywhere but at him.  
  
"Of all the stupid-"  
  
"Answer Ice if you b' wanting information about Monsieur Nacht." So he did know something about him. "And don' even tink about lying," he added, "Ice can tell."  
  
I felt my face flush. No! Don't blush! Stupid face! Ice saw the color rising in my face, and his lip curled.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I...when...." He grinned devilishly at my uneasiness. I looked up to star speckled twilight sky. For Roni. Do it for Roni,  
  
"When I first met you.... I had a teeny tiny infatuation with you. But only for like, two seconds, until you opened your mouth and I remembered that I don't associate with assholes."  
  
"So y' did like Ice...."  
  
"For two seconds!"  
  
"Dat's why y' b' so mean.... Y' defensive!"  
  
"For two seconds!!" My face flushed so much, I was positive I must have looked like a lobster. "I answered your question, now answer mine. Who is Nacht?"  
  
"Fine," Ice said, not bothering to wipe the smirk off his face, "dat b' Monsieur Nacht."  
  
"Yes, we've established that already."  
  
"Let Ice finish! Oui, dat b' Nacht. Slade hire him t' do sneak work, but never pay with money. He must pay him some oter way, but Ice don' know how." So he dose work for Slade. But what would he want with a twelve year old? Is it some sort of trap to get the Titans? Me?  
  
"Do you know where he is?" I asked, crossing my arms.  
  
"Non. He b' wonderer. Never stay in one place long. Always leaving. Sometimes here, sometimes dere."  
  
"Have you ever talked to him before?"  
  
"Oui, we talked about smashed potatoes." I started at Ice.  
  
"Smashed potatoes?"  
  
"Oui, he likes dem smashed. I do not. I ask him how he can like dem, he say dat dey fun t' eat. Y' can put gravy in de middle and build up de potatoes around it and make volcano-"  
  
"Ice? As fascinating as your potato volcano is, I suggest you save it for someone who cares." He shrugged.  
  
"Y' want all Ice knows, he give it. He like smashed potatoes."  
  
"I wanted information on where he is, not his eating habits."  
  
"Y' b' getting angry.... is it love?"  
  
"I don't need this shit," I muttered, turning away.  
  
"Wait." Ice grabbed my arm, "Ice know one more ting."  
  
"You do? Congratulations! That's one more thing I thought you knew altogether!"  
  
"What?" He asked with a slight laugh, squezzing my arm a bit. I pryed his fingers off.  
  
"Oh sorry. I was attempting to imply that you are unintelligent, but I did not discern how to wittily phrase it according to our dialog context." He stared at me stupidly and I gloated. I love using big words to confuse him. Its so fun.  
  
"Ice English b'..... very limited. Y' say what?"  
  
"That you're stupid." Ice rolled his eyes. "Y' want information or non?" I sighed.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Say please."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Absolutely no."  
  
"It b' important."  
  
"You already promised me the information. I answered your question! And I did! I told you..." My voice trailed off.  
  
"About y' "two second" crush on Ice?" Ice stated helpfully.  
  
"At least I can stay infatuated for two seconds. That's about a second more than the time you give hoes. By then she's fucked and done with." Ice looked deeply offended.  
  
"Ices sex last longer dan second, chere. If y' b' wanting proof, Ice can give y' first hand experience." I rolled my eyes,  
  
"As tempting as that is, I have to say no. I don't want herpes." Ice looked at me oddly.  
  
"Dat mean what in English?"  
  
"Never mind. Tell me what you know." Ice shuffled his feet, looking at the ground.  
  
"Nacht come out at night." I stared at him.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Oui, unless he have special business, he sleep during day, den roam at night. Nacht b' German for night."  
  
"Is he German?"  
  
"His family were, but he b' born in America." Ok, that's good. I know who he is. I know who he works for. And I know how he likes his potatoes.  
  
"Ok," I ran my fingers through my pigtail, "Thank you, Mr. Montel for your cooperation. I will be leaving now."  
  
"Tank god."  
  
"But," I paused to eye him, "I will be back if I get the notion that you know more than you just told me."  
  
"Y' do dat." I started walked away from the gloomy ally. "Ice b' waiting anxiously," he added sarcastically, calling after me. I didn't reply.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"And if you look here, you can see the faintest outline, but it is him." I nodded, leaning closer to the computer screen. We were all at the police station, trying to dig up some more information about Roni's captor.  
  
We were trying to find some sort of pattern in his occurrence, but there was none, just random sightings. And trust me, there were quite a few, Nacht doesn't go unnoticed. Officer Liol clicked the mouse, pulling up another picture on the screen.  
  
"Here's one taken by a security camera near the dock at the harbor," He said. It was obviously a night picture, the night vision on the camera created spine-chilling shadowing on the image. It was taken of Nacht from behind, with his head turned slightly so the night vision made his eyes glow pure white.  
  
He was crouching very catlike, like he was preparing to pounce on something.  
  
"When was this taken?" Cyborg asked, looking at me as if to look for any signs that I might freak out again.  
  
"Three days ago," he replied, pointing to the date at the bottom of the screen.  
  
"Could he still be there?" Raven asked, looking to me. Suddenly everyone seemed to think I was the authority on this guy. I shrugged.  
  
"Ice said that he never stays in one place too long. He never said how long is too long, though. And just because he was at the dock, doesn't necessarily mean he's camping out there. We should check it out anyway. I'll go."  
  
"I'll go too," Beastboy said immediately, glancing at me sideways, and giving my hand a squeeze. "Lets go."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Now." He shrugged and followed me to the open door.  
  
"Say, how long your friends been missing?" The officer called after me. I stopped and rested my hand on the doorframe.  
  
"Thirty six hours," I whispered, barley turning my head around. Then I continued on.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
The salty air triggered so many memories of going to the beach with my father, but I pushed them to the back of my mind as Beastboy and I walked down the long stretch of dock. The continuous crash of the waves became musical as they hit the supports of the rickety dock over and over again.  
  
Is this dock even safe? It looks like it's going to fall apart. The dirty white paint was flaking off it, and the wood was cracked.  
  
"So, where to start?" I asked, scanning my eyes around. This was mostly a loading dock, for freight ships and such. Not many people came here, unless they worked on the ships. I turned and looked over and saw Beastboy gazing over the murky green seawater, as he leaned dangerously over the side of the dock.  
  
"I duno." Was his short reply. I could tell he would much rather be playing in the ocean right now, not working. I would too, but I didn't see this as work. This was finding my little sist- I mean Roni. I thought for a moment,  
  
"There are tons of freight ships here. They must need a place to store the crates. Like freight warehouses or something. How easy would it be to steal a key to one and crash for a night? It would be easy for him to lock Roni in there tied up for a while....sick-o." My voice wavered painfully.  
  
"Yeah, that's a possibility," Beastboy said in a distant voice, still looking wistfully out over the water.  
  
"But he'd need to eat sometime, right? Is there a convent's store here? Or a dinner or something?"  
  
"I duno." He replied yet again. I was started to get frustrated.  
  
"Beastboy, why don't you do me a favor and even pretended to help? Your the one who wanted to come." I crossed my arms and looked at him. He stepped away from the side of the dock, and outstretched his hand to me, wanting me to put mine in his. I refused to take his hand.  
  
"Naomi, I came because I was worried about you." Once again I surprised at how much he had matured over the time I've known him. He looked deeply into my eyes, hurt that I would hold hands and sighed, "You haven't eaten or slept in almost two days, love. Why do you always do this? You just can't deal with difficult emotional stuff. You always freak out. You can't do this to yourself."  
  
I looked at him disbelievingly. "What? All I'm doing is looking for an abducted twelve-year-old girl. It's our job. Now why don't you put some effort into it?"  
  
That came out a lot harsher than I mean it too, but please remember that I haven eaten or slept for forty-one hours.  
  
"I didn't mean I didn't care! God knows I do. I'm just saying that it doesn't help when you try to work on empty." I narrowed my eyes.  
  
"I'm not fighting with you. I've got work to do." I turned away from him.  
  
"I'm not trying to start a fight! I'm just saying-" I raised my hand up.  
  
"Beastboy, I know who I am. Like you said, I can't take it when something emotional hard happens. I just cant. I freak out. And I'll work obsessively until I solve it somehow, and I don't care who gets hurt in the process. I know who I am. I don't need you telling me." I started walking away from him, my fists clenched at my sides.  
  
"Your so unbearable when you get like this!!" Beastboy yelled angrily after me. I didn't respond. I just kept walking, breathing harshly. I looked up to the sky, and saw a little emerald bird, soaring away.  
  
Fine. Fucking fine. I don't need him to slow me down. I stomped down the dock, absolutely fuming. If everyone would just stay out of my way so I could get things done...  
  
But my anger fled as quickly as it had come, and in the next few steps, I found myself searching the skies, hoping to see a little green bird flying back to me. But I didn't. Not that I blame him. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I almost ran into someone.  
  
"Jesus Christ kid!!" A man carrying a large wooded crate yelled out as I almost collided with him.  
  
"Sorry!" I apologized as he set the crate on the dock, muttering.  
  
"Oh... are you a freight worker?" I asked timidly. He straitened up. He was a young man, but the continues stress of the physical work seemed to age him. His brow was firmly knit into a stern look, and his dark skin was already staring to show premature wrinkles.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked, like an adult would ask a child found playing where they weren't allowed. "Um...don't you recognize me?"  
  
"No." He replied shortly, crossing his burly arms, which had quite a few tattoos. Maybe he was from across the sea, and didn't know who the Titan are.  
  
"Oh, ok then. Is there anywhere I can get something to eat around here?" I asked, taking a careful step away from him.  
  
"There's a restaurant. It's where the sailors go on our lunch break. I'd tell you it's too rough of a bar for a girl, but lunch ended an hour ago. You should be fine. It's on the corner of Taft, near the Jack freight hose."  
  
"Oh, thanks." Since he had been so helpful, I decided to let the "To rough of a bar for a girl" offense slid. He spat on the ground in reply, and then grunted as he lifted up his heavy crate and walked past me down the dock to a nearby ship that was loading up crates. I hurried away from him, not wanting to be seen by very many people.  
  
If Nacht was still here, I wanted to keep it low that I was here. I dashed down the steps of the dock, leading to the cluster of freight houses. I heard voices up ahead, and ducked under the dock until I was sure they had passed. Just stay hidden Naomi, I thought as I jogged down the small strip of street, leading away from the dock.  
  
There were so many freight houses! They made up the entire building population here. They all looked exactly the same. All big brick squares. How would I know which on was Jacks?  
  
Oh, they have sign names on the side, I realized after passing one. I walked down the abandoned street, not even knowing the name of it. Until I got to the corner and looked up at the stop sign. It said I was on the corner of Taft Street. I had been on it all this time and not realized it.  
  
So, where's the restaurant? I looked around, only seeing freight houses. Did that man lie to me? Then I noticed that one of the warehouses had a sign on it.  
  
EAT.  
  
Is that the name or instructions? I walked up to it and peeked inside. Sure enough, it had a booth and stools. It must have been made out of an old freight house, I thought as I stepped inside. Each step I took inside the rickety old restaurant was followed by a loud groan of the floor. It was more of a bar than a restaurant. It had one stretch of booth, and some dusty wooden stools lined up next to it.  
  
"Eh!" A voice grunted from behind the counter. An elderly man stepped out of what I assume was the kitchen, behind the counter.  
  
"Go away! We're not open!" He roared in a voice that was almost as creaky as his restaurant. He was extremely frail with age, and was wearing a dirty apron. His head was bald on the top, and slightly sunburned, but on the sides he had long white hair that hung limply to his ears.  
  
He looked positively looney.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at me, causing all his harsh wrinkles to shift.  
  
"I said were not open for the likes of you, police girl. You ain't got no warrant to search this place. I run my business as I please, you aint no body to tell me what's sanitary or not."  
  
This man must have gotten in trouble with health inspectors or something.  
  
"I'm not here about your restaurant sir," I said calmly, "I'm doing an investigation-"  
  
He made a loud crazy noise that made me jump in surprise "Aha! I knew it! A fancy word for trying to ruin my bar! Well, there ain't nothing you can do to shut me down!"  
  
He pounding his fist on the grubby counter, smearing grime onto his fist.  
  
"No sir!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in front of me defensively, "This isn't about your business. I'm investigating a suspect who might have stopped to eat here." He seemed to calm down slightly, although not talking his eyes off me for a moment. "Sir, can you answer a few questions for me? Then I'll leave, I swear."  
  
"Fine," he muttered, picking up a filthy rag to swipe the counter, "Take a seat." I sat down on one of the wooden stools, which creaked so loudly, I was sure I had broken it and jumped back up.  
  
"Eeeh. Get on with it, police girl." I sat down again, more gradually this time. "Ask me your questions so you will leave," he demanded, getting frustrated with me. He started rubbing the booth with the rag, making the booth even dirtier.  
  
"Right. First question. What is your name?" He glared at me. "Its so we can use you as a witness in court to charge the suspect of his crime! I promise." He relaxed.  
  
"Lawrence."  
  
"And your last man, sir?"  
  
"Lawrence." I eyed his suspiciously, wondering if he was lying to me.  
  
"Your name is Lawrence Lawrence?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Sir, I can assure you. You will be protected by the Witness Protection Program. You can give me your real name."  
  
"I did. That's what my parents named me. You got a problem with that?" I shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"Oookay. Next question. Have you gotten anyone strange come here this previous week?" He laughed, and it reminded me of a psycho I saw in a movie once.  
  
"They're the only types we get here, police girl." Damn.  
  
"Can you mention a few particularly strange ones for me you've had over the last week?" I asked, taking out a pad of paper and a pencil to jot down notes. He thought for a moment, and then answered.  
  
"We had a feller with one arm come in yesterday." Wow. Not him. "And a transsexual." Not him either..... I hope.  
  
"Try to think of night customers," I suggested. He absentmindedly rubbed the rag in the same spot over and over as he stared into space, thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, we did have this one fella come in about three days ago. He wore a big black leather trench coat, he did. Kept his face covered. Never saw what he looked like." This grabbed my attention.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. He was a strange one. Ordered three orders of mashed potatoes. Just the potatoes." Dear. Lord. Ice had actually helped. I'll remember that the next time I'm kicking out his teeth.  
  
"Then what did he do?" I asked, getting a little excited.  
  
"Well, he made a volcano out of the smash-"  
  
"No, when he was done eating sir."  
  
"Oh, he made a phone call." Mr. Lawrence pointed to a dusty phone in the corner. My eyes widened.  
  
"Do you record the calls here, sir?" I asked, my foot shaking with anticipation.  
  
"Of course. It's the regulation isn't it?" he asked, eyeing me shiftily. Oh yeah, the Association of Public Security passed that law fifty years ago, didn't they? All businesses were to keep a two-week long record of calls and security camera footage. Excellent.  
  
"May I listen to them?" I asked knowing he couldn't refuse if he wanted to. He grumbled, but opened a small swinging door to let me behind the counter, then lead me into the kitchen. It was no less than disgusting.  
  
Dirty dishes were piled up in the grayed sink so high, on sneeze would send the tower toppling down. And the electric grill had so much spilled food caked on, I couldn't tell the original color of the burners.  
  
Mr. Lawrence quickly turned my attention from the horrid state of the kitchen to the phone-recoding device. It was a small white machine; it looked like a little answering machine. Mr. Lawrence pressed the small green play button on the top. A mechanical voice flowed out.  
  
March second. Three forty seven pm-  
  
"That's not it," Mr. L. muttered, pressing the next button. The next one wasn't it either, so I zoned out while Mr. Lawrence started flipping through the recordings. Don't worry Roni. I'm coming. I'm so close to finding you. Then a thought crept into my head.  
  
What if this message didn't tell where Roni was? What if it was like, just a call to his mom or something weird like that? Then I decide no matter what content the recoding held, it would give me more clues to where she was.  
  
"Here!" Mr. Lawrence cried triumphantly, "Listen." And so I did,  
  
March seventh. One twenty four am. Riiiing. Riiing. Riii-  
  
"Hello?" The voice sounded groggy, like he had just woken up.  
  
"Alex, its me."  
  
"Nacht, are you crazy? Its on in the morning."  
  
"You know I'm nocturnal. Listen. I have news." The voice that I guess was Alex yawned obviously.  
  
"First tell me where you are."  
  
"A small restaurant near the dock."  
  
"Are you alone?"  
  
"Yes, well, except for the lunatic that owns this place." Mr. Lawrence glowered.  
  
"Good, we wouldn't want you over heard, now would we? What is your news?"  
  
"The girls name is Roni Spencer. She's in the seventh grade and she's twelve. She visits the Titans on a regular bases. Well, mostly just that Naomi girl."  
  
"I don't like Naomi." Alex said immediately, "When I was making a business deal with Ice and Cut in an ally, she rudely interrupted." Was the second French speaking one in the ally? I noticed he didn't mention how Ice had had him by the throat.  
  
"Yeah? Well, I've been watching her very closely lately. She seems very close to the girl." Damn straight, bastard.  
  
"How closely have you spied on them?"  
  
"Very closely, I can assure you."  
  
"And you haven't gotten caught?"  
  
"No, the little girl saw a glimpse of me once in a movie theater, but no more." He was there? He was there when I took Roni to see Downy? It is not a good feeling to know that someone has been watching you. How closely had he? Like, when I'm in the shower close? Oh god.  
  
"Good. Slade will be please."  
  
"Well, then I just ever so happy." I noticed Nachts voice had a bit of an edge when he spoke about Slade.  
  
"Now, Nacht, listen closely. There's another job we need you to do." There was silence on Nachts end.  
  
"Slade promised. He promised that all I had to do was spy on the two girls. Nothing more. He said-"  
  
"Forget what he said! Slade has another job for you. Do it. Understand?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"Don't you want your security?" There was another silence.  
  
"What dose he want me to do?" Nacht asked.  
  
"Take the girl."  
  
"You're sick."  
  
"Do it." More silence.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good. Bring her to room the seventh floor, room number nine hundred and seventeen in the Kaiser Inn. Do you know where that is?"  
  
"I'll find it."  
  
"Good."  
  
Click.  
  
I looked to Mr. Lawrence.  
  
"Thank you so much sir. I will personally see to it that your restaurant is never closed." Mr. Lawrence looked please, and stared bussling around, doing ...something. I flipped open my communicator.  
  
"Robin? I know where Roni is."  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
I got to the Kiser Motel long before the others did. I didn't bother to wait up for them. I stormed into the old motel, rushing right past the lobbyist, who looked up at me in mild interest. I was a very pissed little girl.  
  
Slade can send his little minions after me, but no one messes with my little buddy.  
  
I didn't bother taking the elevator; it would be much to slow. I instead took to the stairs, flying up them so fast, I almost ran into a young woman, carrying a bag of groceries up the steps.  
  
"Sorry!" I yelled, not looking back. I finally reached the seventh level, and threw open the door leading into the hallway. I dashed the softly lit hall lined with doors until I got to the one numbered nine seventeen.  
  
I didn't bother knocking. I just cut to the chase and kicked down the door, which unhinged completely and fell flat into the room. I stepped over it and looked inside and saw the blue skinned teenager sitting one the sofa in fount of the flickering television, he was holding a soda to his lips, but had stopped in mid action in surprise of his door being kicked down. He was wearing nothing but a pair of white sweat pants.  
  
His catlike eyes were so wide; I thought they were going to fall right out of his head.  
  
"Oh... you be in trouble," I hissed in a soft dangerous voice. In a flash I had his hands behind his back and forcefully knocked him into the wall.  
  
"Where's Roni?" I demanded, still in my soft voice as I pressed the front of his body to the wall.  
  
"In the kitchen," he moaned out painfully, his forehead sporting a nasty cut that was bleeding freely.  
  
The kitchen? No! I'm too late! He's already hacked her into little bits with a butcher's knife!!! I literally dragged him down a small hall, not leaving him alone for a second. I didn't want him to escape before bashing his little blue head in. This place was more of an apartment than a hotel room.  
  
"You bastard!" I yelled, as I dragged him along, "Why did you-" But I stopped in mid-sentence when I looked in the kitchen.  
  
There was Roni. She was wearing soft pink pajamas, and was sitting at a small table, shoveling cereal into her mouth while reading the back of the cereal box. She looked up at me and smiled.  
  
"Hi Naomi! I head you kick the door in, but I wasn't done with my cereal yet." I stared at her in disbelief. She's a hostage! She shouldn't look even moderately content! She's not supposed to be ok with the situation. She looked curiously over to Nacht, who was wiping the blood off his forehead with his wrist.  
  
"Aw. Are you going to beat Nacht up? Don't hurt him too bad, Naomi." I turned to look at Nacht, who shrugged one shoulder.  
  
"I can't believe this. I can not fucking believe this." I gave a short laugh, "I spend two fucking days looking for you! No eat! No sleep! And then I do find you, and your eating cereal!!" Roni exchanged conserned expressions with Nacht, who arched an eyebrow at me.  
  
"This is so..." my legs started to wobble, and I swayed dangerously. "Naomi?" Roni's voice sounded distant. I looked to Nacht next to me. His face became blurred, and kinda meted together. I toppled over backward. I was out cold before I even hit the ground.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
StArRy- Dun dun duuuuuun!!! Again, a very long ass chapter. You have no idea how long it takes me to crank out on of these chapters. Six hours at least. I'm a slow typist. Anywho, it might take me a while to post another chapter, I don't really know where to go with this one.  
  
DON'T BE CONFUSED AT WHY SHE FAINTED!! I'LL EXPLAIN IT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.  
  
Any suggestions for where I should go with the whole Nacht thing? I'll tell you now, he's not bad. Just blackmailed.  
  
Also a quick note to byebyebb18- Yeah, I made it up myself. Well... I guess you can use it if you want to. If its going to go on FF.net just be absolute sure that you put a note up telling your readers that its mine. Other than that, you're free to use it. Good luck with your story.   
  
Well, what are you waiting for? Review! 


	15. Night part 1

My mind slowly became aware as I came to. Where am I? A warm breath tickled my cheek. I blindly reached my hand to feel what was breathing on me, and it collided with something solid, right above me. My eyes snapped open, and found a pair of light blue eyes staring back at me, no more than four inches away. I shrieked and instinctively lashed out and my hand collided with Nachts blue face. Then, he was gone.... just gone. I sat up, looking around the cheep apartment. Had I been dreaming?  
  
_No...Roni.  
_  
I struggled to my feet, panting. She was here! I had seen her!! She had been sitting at that table! I looked to the chair.... it was empty.  
  
I touched the seat of the chair; it was still warm, from when Roni had been sitting. I backed out of the kitchen slowly, my eyes wide. I searched the apartment.  
  
The bedroom. Empty.  
  
The bathroom. Empty.  
  
The hallway. Empty.  
  
The main room. Empty.  
  
All empty.  
  
I had been so close.... so close.... I sank to my knees, covering my face with my forearms, and screamed in frustration. Swearing myself out. Calling myself all the hard names I could think of.  
  
I was so _stupid_. So incredibly _stupid.  
_  
I desperately wanted to break something. Anything. I wanted to shatter it. I just wanted to take my frustration on something. Crush it to dust.  
  
I wasn't thinking straight. My mind felt so distant to me, like there were millions of voices screaming inside my head, but I couldn't hear my own.  
  
Furious tears spilt from my eyes, and seemed to burn my cheeks as they rolled down. I suddenly felt very weak, as if I would collapse over at any moment. I uncovered my face, to set my hands on the ground, to keep from falling over. I gritted my teeth, digging my fingernails into the carpet until they split all the way to my finger.  
  
I wanted to think. I wanted to get up. I wanted to call my friends. But I couldn't. I couldn't do anything but kneel on my hands and knees on the floor. For a minute, I couldn't even remember my own name.  
  
Then I realized that, those weren't just my tears on my cheek. Water was streaming all over my body. I stopped my silent crying, and looked around. It was raining...indoors.  
  
I looked up to the ceiling, two cool drops of water fell directly into my eyes, that seemed to burn from crying. I rubbed my eyes, standing up. How could it rain indoors? Was it Nacht?  
  
"Nacht!!" I yelled, rainwater filling my mouth. I spluttered on the rain. Then as soon as it had come, it left. The last drop of rain dripped from the ceiling, and fell into the three inches of water that had collected on the floor.  
  
My head snapped around. Voices! I could hear –  
  
"Naomi!!" Robin jumped over the door I had knocked down, looking dazed when he landed in water. He looked to me, his mouth held at a funny angle.  
  
"Naomi?" he asked, "What the fuck happened?"  
  
I couldn't answer. I couldn't. I couldn't tell him how I had lost little Roni. How she had been in my very arms reach, and I failed.  
  
"Damn," Ravens voice echoed from the outside hall.  
  
"Yeah, looks like we missed quite a party," Beastboy voice said sarcastically.  
  
"A party of broken doors and water?" Starfire guessed, floating inside the room. She noticed me and gasped.  
  
"Friend! What is the matter? Is Roni injured? Why.... have you engaged in the tears of unhappiness?"  
  
"How could you tell?" I muttered, not looking up at her.  
  
"Your appearance enhancer, it...is currently streaked across you face...unless it is purposely as it is."  
  
I bent down over the water, looking at my reflection. My tears had drug my black eyeliner down my cheeks, all the way down to my lips. I was discussed. I kicked the water with my foot, sending my reflection askew.  
  
"Naomi?" I looked up, directly into Beastboys face. "What happened?" he asked, gripping my shoulder with his hand.  
  
Without warning, white-hot anger flare up inside me. I felt so.... unbalanced. I was so angry. I wanted to slap him. I wanted to do...something. It was a good thing that the room was so wet, or my angry sparks might have caught flame.  
  
"I...I..." My voice was strangely loud. I didn't mean it to be, "I lost her. I _lost_ her ok?" Angry sparks exploded from my fingertips, skipping across the shallow water like skipping stones, before sizzling out.  
  
"How?" Beastboy asked calmly, but I could see the desperation burning through his emerald eyes.  
  
"I...I was so _close_!!" I was shaking, so badly, I almost couldn't speak. I couldn't stop shaking.  
  
"Then rain!!" I spluttered, nearly falling over from my quaking. Beastboy pressed my to his chest, trying to stable my shaking, but I pushed him away. I could hear myself screaming at him, but I couldn't understand what I was saying. Was I even talking in real words? Beastboy made a lunge at me, gripping me tightly.  
  
"I _knew_ it!!" He yelled over my ramblings, "You can't do this to yourself! You can't work on empty! I told you! You haven't slept or eaten in two days!!"  
  
I felt so unstable...was I even standing up?  
  
"Shut up Naomi!! Just _shut up_!!!" His harsh words pierced through my mind. I finally looked to him, finally being able to see him. "Your...unstable. You need food. Sleep."  
  
Sleep? Sleep sounds good. It sounds good right now. My legs gave way, but I never hit the ground. Beastboy lifted my exhausted body up, and carried me out of the room.  
  
To where? I don't know. I fell asleep in his arms.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
I had troubled dreams. Dreams of fiery tornados, swallowing me whole in their thick crushing heat.  
  
A flame that sucked in everything, and returned only ash. I dreamt that I stood in the middle, in the eye of the blazing tornado, watching charred skeletons spin around me in the blaze. Grinning skeletons, with all the flesh charred off them.  
  
But.... I felt fine. Watching all this hell, but knowing that this is life. To burn...it to renew. And.... I felt tranquility.  
  
I do not know how long I spent in that fiery tornado, but I do know that I awoke. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, smearing eyeliner all over my knuckles.  
  
I must look absolutely wretched, I decided as I left my room and dragged myself down the hall to the bathroom Starfire and I share. I examined myself in the mirror.  
  
My eyes were red and swollen, black eyeliner streaking down. The piggy tail holders were almost ripped out of my messy hair. I sighed, and turned on the silver tap, watching the clear cool water flow. I cupped my hands under the stream of clean water, then splashed my face with it.  
  
I tilt my head back, letting the drops trickle down my cheeks. I reached for a fluffy white hand towel and rubbed my face, rubbing my skin until it was red.  
  
It wasn't until then that I felt my hunger tear through me, as a blade would tear through tissue paper. I cupped my hands under the water again, but this time brought it to my lips. I hoped that the water would help with, my hunger, but it worsened it. Now it screamed inside me, the most primal instinct roaring to be satisfied.  
  
I left the bathroom, and slowly made my way down the hall, and down the elevator and to the kitchen. I paused to the kitchen door, hearing a voice inside.  
  
"She's a danger to herself!" Beastboy hissed from within the kitchen. I stopped, pressing my ear up to the door.  
  
"Robin, just listen to me, she cant do this anymore." Beastboys voice sounded determined. My eyes widened. He didn't mean...  
  
"Beastboy, please reconsider..." Starfires voice pleaded.  
  
"No, I made up my mind."  
  
"Beastboy, she made a mistake. We all did. We'll watch her more closely next time."  
  
"That's the point! There _isn't_ going to _be_ a next time!"  
  
Then Ravens harsh voice muttered something inaudible.  
  
"No...I don't care," Beastboy, replied, "I need to do what's best for Naomi."  
  
Once again, I couldn't make out what Raven grumbled to Beastboy.  
  
"I can protect her. And I will."  
  
"Yeah, since you've done such a _fantastic _job lastly," Raven growled, this time loud enough for me to hear. There was a silence form Beastboy.  
  
"It's not going to happen again." He murmured, barley loud enough to hear, "I'm not kidding. Naomi and I are out - _don't_ look at me like that Robin! I'm doing it for Naomi."  
  
That was it. I threw open the door. Everyone looked to me, looking guilty for talking about me when I wasn't around. Beastboy was leaning on the counter, a determined look etched on his green face.  
  
Raven was sitting at the table, refusing to make eye contact with anyone, her arms and legs crossed. Cyborg was standing next to Robin, whose fists were clenched at his sides. Starfire looked near tears, turning away from me, hoping I couldn't see the pained expression on her face.  
  
"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice feeling like sandpaper from dehydration.  
  
"Twelve hours." Robin muttered, refusing to turn away as Star had done. I gave him a quick nod, and then crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator. I was walking funny, partly because my stomach was slightly caved in from my fast. I wrenched open the door, willing to eat anything.  
  
"Naomi, no." Beastboys voice came from behind me. I slowly straightened up, and turned to face him.  
  
"And why not?" I asked sarcastically. He glared,  
  
"Ever heard of the story of the starving old woman found in the woods? After she was rescued, she gorged on so much food she died the next day. You can have a bowl of soup every forty five minutes."  
  
"Who the_ hell_ do you think you are?!?!" I exploded at him, not even truly angry about the soup, "Where do you get off thinking you know what's best for me?"  
  
I don't know why I was so angry with him He just.... thought he knew so much more than I did. He was trying so hard to take care of me, he was reminding me of my father. And my father and I were never generally on good terms when I had hit adolescents.  
  
And he was trying to take me away!! Away from the tower! Away from my friends! Away from my life!  
  
"Naomi, I know how to take care of you. I promise. Just listen-"  
  
"I listen to Robin." Those words hit him like a sack of wet cement. His eyes widened, and he took a step back.  
  
It's just.... Robin had always felt like...not a father exactly...but someone who knows what to do. Someone you ask advice. It's like, the way you'd feel if your divorced parents were trying to remarry. You feel insulted when the new parent tries to fill the place of your parent.  
  
Beastboy blinked, looking confused. Then he looked angry.  
  
"Oh, is that so?" his voice dripped with scorn.  
  
"As a matter of fact it is. You! You think you know so much! You think you can earn respect from people you were flicking spitballs at yesterday!! I don't need-"  
  
"You don't need? Of course you _need_ Naomi!! You_ need_ food! And _need_ sleep! All the things you've been denying yourself lately!! You think your, just so above all earthy things! But your not! Your...just a stupid girl."  
  
I could have slapped him. I could have smacked him so hard, he wouldn't be able to feel his skin. But I hurt him much deeper than any knife could pierce.  
  
"Your right. I do need a lot of things. But I do know of one thing I don't. I don't need you." His emerald eyes widened as I continued, "I don't _need_, you _protecting_ me. I don't _need_ you _feeding_ me. I _don't _need you _saving _me. I don't need you at all."  
  
"You...you didn't mean that." He whispered, his green eyes dulling.  
  
"Don't you_ dare_ tell me what I feel."  
  
That was too much for Starfire. She burst into tears, swearing in her native tongue. I turned away from Beastboy, not daring to look into his eyes. Thankfully, I didn't have to. The kitchen door slammed behind him.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
Robin slowly introduced food back into my body, giving me a bowl of soup every forty-five minutes, while Starfire made me some sort of fruit drink. And finally, in about five hours, I felt better. Better enough to retell the events of what had happened with Nacht.  
  
"Rain?" asked Raven, arching an eyebrow, "Was it from Nacht?"  
  
"Yeah, I think it's his powers or something. Not a whole lot you can do with rain though."  
  
"Well, not necessarily," Cyborg mused, "I bet he could cause a flash flood if he wanted to."  
  
"Hmmmm, or maybe he did it so dogs couldn't follow his sent, I mean, with BBs nose-" Robin stopped, noting my expression, "I mean...yeah. That's a possibility."  
  
"What action is to be in use?" Starfire asked, her eyes puffy, as she clutch Robins arm, slightly clingy.  
  
"Naomi's taking the day off, that's for sure. Star? Stay with her. Raven, Cyborg, come with me. Were going to go back to Nachts apartment, to look for more clues."  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Right. Titans go. Naomi stay."  
  
And so they did, and so I didn't.  
  
I sighed, wishing I could go as well, but Robin said no. I looked to Starfire, who immediately glanced away, trying to make it seem like she hadn't been staring at me.  
  
"I vastly recommend some more unconscious time for you friend. Shall I arrange it?"  
  
I giggled.  
  
"What is amusing friend?"  
  
I giggled again.  
  
"Sorry Star, its just the way you said it. It sounded like you were going to sedate me."  
  
"If you do not get some sleep, I will have to resort to it." She smiled.  
  
"Ha, you could try." She smiled, finally looking me in the eye.  
  
"Shall you sleep before I do sedate you?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." I stood up, and heard a tiny crinkly in my pocket.  
  
"What the..." I reached into my pocket, pulling out a small slip of paper.  
  
"Are you not coming friend?" Starfire called from the doorway, "Shall I find a bat of baseball?" She giggled, trying a little to hard to make things okay again. I didn't answer, but unfolded the paper.  
  
TALK TO MY GRANDMOTHER (345) 234-8753.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO "Are you related to Nacht?" Cyborg asked the elderly lady, who introduced herself as Mrs. Emmerion.  
  
"Is zat vhat he calls himself," She replied, stirring her mug off coffee her straw, "My grandson, his is zis Nacht?"  
  
"Blue skin? Ring a bell?"  
  
We were at Gothem National Airport. Mrs. Emmerion had flown down here all the way from Germany to talk to us about her grandson, who we hoped was Nacht. The woman stopped stirring her coffee, and raised her muddy brown eyes up to me.  
  
"Vhat do you vant vith my grandson?" She whispered.  
  
"Well, he has been a very busy boy lately," I replied carefully, not knowing how much Mrs. Emmerion knew about her own grandson, "With kidnappings and such."  
  
The door to the lounge slammed shut behind Starfire.  
  
"Oh, sorry," she whispered, walking to stand next to Robin. I looked to see if Beastboy was with her, but he was not. It was just us five.  
  
We had rented an entire lounge area in the airport, special for talking to Mrs. Emmerion. Mrs. Emmerion squeezed her eyes shut, leaning back in one of the soft maroon chairs, surrounding a coffee table.  
  
"His debt," she murmured, talking to herself.  
  
"His what?" Robin asked, leaning on Starfire slightly.  
  
"I...I have to tell you everyzing for it to make sense, and I'm sorry my English is not so good." I nodded, and sat down in the chair opposite to her, resting my elbows on the table.  
  
"Well, my daughter. She vas not a happy person. How to say? Asocial? Anyvay, she did not like being.... vith people. Never did. Not even in before school."  
  
I squinted my eyes; I think she was talking about preschool. I had this fleeting image in my mind of a small girl, sitting in a corner of a playroom all alone while children laughed and played around her. I don't know where it came from, maybe a movie I saw.  
  
"As my daughter grew, she began to talk of children. Ze one zing she vanted more zan anyzing in the vorld vas a child. No husband. Just baby. But she was unable to have children."  
  
"Why?" interrupted Robin, obviously having trouble fallowing along with the accent. And poor Star! She has enough trouble speaking English, with out a heavy German accent added!  
  
"She had...I do not know how to say.... ovary disorder? She could not have eggs come out. Hurt insides, you know?"  
  
I nodded slightly, so asocial woman wants baby. Asocial lady probably is suffering from damaged fallopian tubes, making it unable to carry to egg to be fertilized. Got it so far.  
  
"Zen, ve heard of some American Doctor. He could make babies! Outside ze body."  
  
"Vitro Fertilization," Raven murmured, "Fertilizing the egg while it is outside the body in a cryogenic state."  
  
"I suppose.... my English, it is not so good."  
  
"Eggs?" Starfire looked to Robin, "I was under the impression that humans were mammals, and gave birth to live young, not hatch-"  
  
"Star its ok, well talk later," Robin promised, giving her hand a squeeze, then looked up to Mrs. Emmerion, "Please, continue."  
  
"Yes, vell, we moved to America. And my daughter vhen to see ze doctor. I ask her if she's sure, and she says yes. The doctor.... take egg out of her, and put in small tray, vith liquid.... I don't know how to say, but to keep egg safe."  
  
I decided it was better to let her speak than try to correct her.  
  
"Zen, doctors take... sperm? Yes, sperm from a donor. And...it all vas put back into my daughter. But something vhen vrong."  
  
Yup, I could tell that was going to happen.  
  
"Vhen, egg was outside ze body, somezing contaminated ze safe liquid, so it vas no so safe. I don't know vhat happened, but egg was not safe. It could have been a speck of dust, I do not know. But vhatever it was, it damages him. At zat time, we have no idea. Ve zought operation vas a success.  
  
Doctor put ze egg back inside my daughter. And she pregnant. At first, ve vere so happy. She grow bigger each day, and grow happier each day. She even talk to a stranger in grocery store. That vas big for my daughter.  
  
She was just so happy to be a mommy.  
  
Zen....he came. But...my daughter did not live. She died giving birth to him. I look to him, and I zink, 'he is blue, how? Vhy?' But I did not care. For a year, I raise him. And love him" Mrs. Emmerion rubbed her weathered eyes.  
  
"Zen...the zreats come."  
  
"Threats? From Slade I'm guessing."  
  
"Ja, zreats to my grandson. Telling someone vould come and beat him to death in his crib if his debt vas not paid. I did not know vhat to do, I did not understand. I take young Rune, and we run."  
  
"Rune? Is that his name?" I asked, my hands clasped thoughtful in front of me.  
  
"Ja, in German, it mean Great Secret. And he was. The zreats come for him, so he vas a secret. I later learned zat, ze man, who donated his sperm for Runes birth, vas an evil man. An evil man vho vas in debt to zis, Slade man.  
  
Slade promise zis man, zat until his debt vas paid, Slade come after mans family. He had none, so he donated sperm, to create son to pass his debt to."  
  
"Damn," Starfire whispered. I funny expression crossed my face and I slowly turned my head to face Star, who looked quite pleased with herself, then motioned for Mrs. Emmerion to continue.  
  
"Yes, ve run. We run to different countries. Ve run to states. Ve run to provinces. Ve run for fourteen years. Him growing the vhole time. As he grow, he start to notice zings. He notices zat he dose not go to school. He notices ve never live in same house for long.  
  
Zen one day... he notices that he is different from other little boys. He noticed how he could not go outside alone, because of zreats. He notices how I cry at night.  
  
Zen, he became man.  
  
He run away from me two years ago. He run to ze problem haunting me for so long. He run to Slade, to give me peace."  
  
Cyborg whispered wow, while Starfire looked confused.  
  
Damn, that blue boys got balls!!!! I don't know if I'd be able to go through what he has.  
  
"How much debt dose he have left?" Asked Raven, always seeming to know the right questions to ask.  
  
"Not much, I do not know for sure, but I leave the door open for him to come home." Her voice quaked slightly as she pulled her dull green shawl around her shoulders tighter. She then reached down to her purse, and pulled out a bundle of old envelopes, that were torn and yellowed from age.  
  
"I...have zese letters from Rune. You may read zem, keep them for a veek or so, but... please send zem back. I need zem."  
  
She sounded like she was begging, like she thought that I had no intention of returning them at all.  
  
"Of course I will," I replied, reaching out for the bundle, "Thank you for your cooperation. I am sure that your grandson will return safely to you."  
  
She smiled, tears in her eyes.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
May 1. Hello Grandmama. How are you? I am fine. Nothing new here. I have to keep my letters short, because my new boss has to approve them before I can send them off. I'll come home as soon as I can. I love you, please don't worry about me. Rune  
  
June 30. Hello Grandmama. You wont believe the weather here. Much warmer than in Germany, but it is hard because I have to wear my trench coat. I get very sweaty, just in case you wanted to know. My English is getting much better. I have to go now, the floor flooded last night Bye. Rune  
  
August 23. Hello. It is me. I am sorry you can not send me any letters; my boss will not let you. But I promise you, I am happy. I am. Everyone one here is different, just like me. They laugh when I have a glitch in my English, but it is all nice. Bye. Rune  
  
December 24. It is Christmas here. I wish I could send you a present, but all I would have to send is the mud that collected from the river. That was a joke. I would send you a thousand diamond earrings and those little maple sugar candies you like. And a dog, but not those wrinkly dogs. They do not live long. Merry Christmas. Nacht  
  
January14 Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. I am finally old enough to drive, but I have no car. But that is ok. Maybe when I return I will get a car. We can drive all over Germany. Maybe even speed a little. Bye. Nacht  
  
February 29 I'm going down to the reservoir today to intertube with my friends. Everyone here is so nice. I even have a girlfriend. She is nice too. Maybe you can meet her. And maybe you'll even become a great great grandmother. Don't worry!! That was a joke as well!! Nacht  
  
Liar, fucking liar.  
  
I looked at the letters spread face up over my bed. He was lying. It was so obvious. He didn't want his grandmother to worry. And halve way through his letters, he starts referring to himself as Nacht. And a girlfriend? The only girl that I know of that works for Slade is Jinx....  
  
Trust me, Slade doesn't not do "happy" or "friends" and Slade will be damned before he'd let his minions go intertubing. Slades idea of fun intertubing would be to attach explosives to the-  
  
Wait a second. I bent down over the letter. A reservoir? He said...that he now lived near a reservoir. There's only one in Gothem. I scanned the letters again.  
  
".....the floor flooded last night....."  
  
"....the mud that collected from the river....."  
  
I sat up, Slades base.... could it be on the reservoir?  
  
"ROBIN!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, "RAVEN!!! CYBORG!!! ST- oh screw it EVERONE COME HERE!!!"  
  
"WHERE IS HERE??" yelled Cyborg from downstairs.  
  
"MY ROOM!! Damn we need intercoms in this tower."  
  
I sat waiting to be the brilliant mind of this operation. There was a knock on my door.  
  
"Naomi? You screamed a lung out to get us here, now your door is locked," Robins voice loomed from outside the hall.  
  
"Oh yeah," I bounced off my bed to open the door. Everyone filed into my room.  
  
"What have you discovered?"  
  
"It better be good, I was beating Robin at-"  
  
"Shut up about your pathetic video games. No body cares."  
  
"Shut up Raven!"  
  
I rolled my eyes, "Everyone shut up," I pointed to my bed, "I think I have a lead."  
  
"Naomi, we already looked at the letters, they're useless-"  
  
"Take a closer look you guys!!" I looked up to everyone and saw Beastboy, hanging back in the corner of my room, looking away every time I looked up to him.  
  
"Uh, right," I suddenly felt self-conscious and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Well, if you look to these letter, you see that almost in each of them, he mentions a reservoir, or something, see?" I pointed.  
  
Robin's lips moved silently as he read them.  
  
"So?"  
  
"So? So the reservoir would be a perfect place to build a secret hideout for Slade!! Think about it, all the hydraulic energy you could ever need." That did it, Robins mouth hung open and Raven slapped her forehead, swearing something awful.  
  
"DUH!!!" Cyborg commented helpfully, "All he need to do is to stick a hydraulic transfer into the water, and BAM!! He's got all the energy he ever needs, and with out a trace!"  
  
I smiled proudly. Robin and Cyborg gave each other high fives, while Starfire watched in interest. Then Star tried to high five Raven, who wasn't cooperating, so Star wound up high fiveing Ravens face.  
  
Poor Star, now Raven will kill her. I smiled again, until I remember Beastboy sulking in the corner.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
StArRy-Wow! Intense chapter!! I'm sorry, I wrote it at one o'clock last night, so the first bits a little delusional.  
  
But oh my god. All that 'making babies' information you just read is real. I spent so long researching it!! You have noooooo idea!  
  
**Important-** if any of you feel the strange urge to call that number I put for the grandmother, I highly suggest you don't. I made it up. You might call the King of France for all I know. I don't know why someone would call it... its just a bit of advice. Dude, now I want to call it. I want to know whose number it is. Oh no.  
  
**Brassbanna-** yeah, your right. Its nice you believe in me to come up with my own ideas.  
  
**x-Raven-x-** Well, now you know!!  
  
**TAK and CG-** yeah, I was wondering where you guys were!! I read and reviewed for the new chapter in your story.  
  
**La Penguina Princessa de la Verde Fuego De La Azul Penguina, Bonita** – Wow, do you know that your name is very long? Hehehe!! I actually loved the review you left me!! Its so nice when people tell me how much they enjoy my stories, I try very hard on them. Do you have a fanfact account?  
  
**Boobalago-** yay! You were right!! You are a good guesser.  
  
**Ud the Imp-** Thanks for your suggestion, I decided to use a little bit of it, so thank you! Thanks for the review.  
  
**Raven A Star-** I'd laugh at you too! Hehehe! JK  
  
**Marshmello Da Strawberry Cow-** Ohhh, I don't like gravy on my smashed potatoes! Hey, is it smashed potatoes, or mashed potatoes? I have no idea.....


	16. Night part two

**IMPORTANT!! IMPORTANT!!-** You all out there have made me the happiest person in the WORLD!! For I have.....100 REIVIEWS!!!  
  
_Dances around happily_ I never in my life thought my stories would have so many readers! When I posted the first chapter, I thought that it would be a astounding to get even 20 reviews. And now look! I am so Oh and a big thanks to my 100 reviewer Softballtitan009!  
  
_Drags Softballtitan009 up with her and starts skips around throwing confetti on her_ and the prize for being my 100 review is....I don't know....how about a cookie. I will email you one. And coincidently, she was the very first reviewer for my first story!!  
  
StArRy- being the exciting person that I am, I decided to go out on a limb and put my authors note first. Because I'm just unpredictable like that, oh god.  
  
NavynBabyBlueSuedeShoes- ok, your reviews are always amazing for me to read. You completely understand Naomi. Completely, you always seem to know where she's coming from, and understand her. It's really amazing for an author to actually meet someone who acts like the character she's imagined. Oh, I reviewed a lot for your story.  
  
Softballtitan009- dude! I know! Its so fricken long! But if I stop, then I won't ever get back to it. And I usually do it in the middle of the night so my sisters won't steal the computer!  
  
Marshmello Da Strawberry Cow- no, don't worry, Roni's just a hostage. And as for Nacht, I actually did get the idea from NC, but his powers are so different, you can't really tell.  
  
w00tw00t- aw, you had to shorten your pen name? I'm sorry! Do not worry, I will still refer to you as- checks review-La Penguina Princessa de la Verde Fuego De La Azul Penguina, Bonita! Wow, that would be weird....if someone did sit around for that long for an update....we should try that!! Get the swiffer!  
  
Ozzy Anmudis- that's ok, I'm just glad you did. I hope you like my story.  
  
Faded-Days- nope, little green is not having a very good day. Anywho, it's the next chapter that your poems will appear. Thanks again. Oh, and I emailed you back about your sunburn!  
  
Raven the Sorceress - oh I know! Who said that blonds are stupid? They should....fall into a....hole in the ground....or something.  
  
Ud the Imp- yup, I used a little bit. Just the artificial insemination part. Thanks for the idea.  
  
Raven A. Star- I know, star must have a death wish or something. I can't wait to start our interview fict together! It's going to be the shit man!!  
  
Ok, on to the chapter! This is probable one of the most intense chapters I've ever written. –Deep breath- ok! Let's open our eyes and read!!!  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  
"Yeah, there's defiantly a powerful energy signature here" Cyborg commented to himself as he glanced at his hand held power detector. I pulled his arm down to my eye level to see. There was a small screen with a pulsing red line, like on a heart meter in hospitals. I suppose it showed frequency, the high the frequency, the more the line pulsed up and down.  
  
And right now it was spazing all over the screen. Cyborg made a sound of annoymeant and pulled his broad arm back up to 'Cyborg height', unfortunately with me still holding on. I let go, landing lightly on the ground. I couldn't tell of Cyborg was mad at me.  
  
I know him and Beastboy are best friends, and after my little fight with Beastboy, he's been kind of distant with me.  
  
"Its showing....that....the power waves are coming from the inside of that....rock....?" Cyborg looked confused, "Maybe it's busted." He mumbled to himself, pressing buttons on the keypad.  
  
We were at the reservoir, the same one that Robin and I had been when the car was lodged in the rocks. The churning water of the reservoir sent a continues spray of cool water, chilling the dusk air even more. We were standing on the muddy bank, looking up the sheer rock sides of the canon, where Slades hide out was supposedly hiding, according to Cyborg's energy detector.  
  
"Or maybe it's not broken at all," Raven replied, her slender index finer arched on her cheek thoughtfully, "Maybe the rock is hollow inside." She took her finger off her face and brushed it delicately over the jagged rock, looking as though she wanted someone to suggest she blow it to smithereens.  
  
Robin seemed to read her mind, "No, we need the element of surprise. There must be another way in besides blowing it up." Raven looked slightly disappointed. Robin leaned his head back, looking for Beastboy in the sky.  
  
He gave him the thumbs up for "we found the entrance" and Beastboy in his hawk form dived in the cool night air three times to reply "good for us". He was staying watch for us, as the others and I tried to get in. I was perfectly fine with it; I didn't want to be near him.  
  
I craned my neck, looking up the wall of the canyon; it seemed to go up for miles. I touched the normal looking rock, it feeling strangely warm to the touch. My head snapped around.  
  
"Hide!!" I hissed, grabbing Ravens arm and dragging her behind a boulder.  
  
"Naomi, let go of me or-"  
  
"Shhh!" I clamped my hand over a very pissed Raven mouth. Robin, Cyborg and Starfire followed my example, Cyborg ducking into a bush while Starfire flew Robin and herself to a rocky ledge on the canyon wall. Footsteps grew closer and closer, voices as well.  
  
"Stupid Mammoth! He just had to get himself caught!" A shrill voice pierced through the night air.  
  
"No shit, what a dumbass. Now were going to get blamed!" Jinxs and Gizmo seemed to melt out of the shadows, Jinx swinging her hips as she walked and Gizmo scampering to keep up.  
  
I almost swore at the sight of her, but it was now Ravens turn to clamp her surprisingly warm hand over my mouth. Jinx continued walking, right towards the Ravens and my hiding spot. I squeezed my eyes shut, sure she would see us, but she stopped three feet from my left foot. I thanked the blanket of darkness quickly falling over us.  
  
"We could always break him out of jail before Slade notices," she mused, flexing and unflexing her narrow finger in a very catlike fashion. Gizmo bobbled his bald little head up and down in agreement.  
  
"Right, agreed. Don't tell Slade." He announced, adjusting his black goggles.  
  
"Muhmm. Now, open the door pipsqueak." You could almost see a little red warning light go off in Gizmo's eyes.  
  
"Pipsqueak?!?!? Oh _HELL_ no!!" Gizmos high voice pierced my ears like a knife, I felt Raven cringe behind me, "I am not a pipsqueak!!"  
  
Jinx, sensing a challenge, crossed her slender arms, upturning her nose at Gizmo.  
  
"Don't worry _Gizzy_, "She said in the soft patient voice of a kindergarten teacher, "Some day, you'll hit a little thing we call_ puberty_."  
  
"Shut up!!"  
  
"You'll grow a big boy voice."  
  
"Shut up! Shut up bitch!!"  
  
"And grow big and tall."  
  
"_I said shut up_!!"  
  
"And start to grow pubic hair-" Gizmo screeched in frustration and pounced on Jinxes back, yanking her hair.  
  
"I told you to shut up, whore!!"  
  
"GET OFF ME YOU LITTLE FREAK!!!" She shrieked, desperately trying to pry the little boy off of her.  
  
"I know something about _yoooou_! AT least I don't like my same gender!!" He started beating her head with his fists. I turned my head slowly to Raven, whose mouth was up drawn at a funny angle.  
  
"Waaaay too much information," she muttered. I nodded in agreement, then turned my attention back to the squabbling pair, not wanting to miss a murder.  
  
"Shut up you little weirdo! At least I can get some ass! You're so pathetic you go and build you a robogirlfriend!"  
  
"I told you! It wasn't for me! It was for catching Cybooger!" Cybooger? Is that the best he can come up with? He builds robotic works of art, and the best insult he can think of it lacing someone's name with booger?  
  
"And!" Gizmo, leaned close to Jinxes ear, just to screech her eardrums out, "At least I don't have a crush on Blackfire!!"  
  
"I never said-"  
  
"Yehuh! You so did liar! Remember we were watching the news, and she was being taken away to the jail, and you said you wouldn't mind being her 'Prison Bunny'?"  
  
Dear lord. The worst part is I can actually picture those two going out.  
  
"No!!"  
  
"Yeshuh!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"You shut up!"  
  
"Ass face!"  
  
"Witch bitch!"  
  
"Asshole."  
  
"Wrench!"  
  
"Dumbass!"  
  
"What the hell are you two doing?" I jumped slightly at the new voice. Nacht stepped into view, wearing a black bathing suit, with water trickling down his body. His eyebrows raised as Jinx shoved Gizmo off her back.  
  
"She started it," Gizmo muttered, using his middle finger to point at Jinx. She used the palm of her hand to smash Gizmos outstretched finger back at his hand.  
  
"Ow! Owowow!" Gizmo sucked on his jammed finger, glaring at Jinx who smiled a smile. A sugary smile drenched in sweet poison.  
  
Nacht rolled his eyes, it being so dark, them being the only part of him you could see.  
  
"If you two would stop messing around for two seconds you would have noticed something very important here right now."  
  
My eyes widened. He had seen us. We were doomed, doomed to be thrown in Slade's hostage cells and to be prison bunnies. Whatever the hell that meant.  
  
"Were late. Curfew was an hour ago." Nacht pointed to the sheer rock wall. Jinx grumbled about how this wasn't her fault, and rubbed the side of the canyon. She seemed to find what she was looking for, and lifted up a small slab of rock, it being attached by a hinge. She bent down in a very girly fashion, and a stream of blue light scanned her every sneering eye.  
  
-**Identity confirmed**- a female robotic voice chirped -**identity number 3845**.-  
  
The whole canyon seemed to tremble as the rock wall shifted, and slowly parted up the middle, reveling heavy metal doors under the shell. The heavy metal doors groaned, opening slowly. Jinx and Gizmo walked in, arguing about Blackfire, but Nacht hung back.  
  
He grinned, his white teeth illuminating along with his eyes in the darkness, he turned his head, and looked directly to where I was crouching. His teeth flashed in the darkness, as he winked slyly. Then he disappeared into the rock wall.  
  
My heart was racing. Did he know? Was he going to turn us in? I poked my head out over the boulder.  
  
"Raven, it's clear!" I hissed, nudging her with my foot. She popped up, climbing over the boulder because apparently, I was not moving fast enough for her.  
  
"You guys. Were clear," she called through the darkness.  
  
"Yeah, we know- ow, Star, that was my foot" Robins voice echoed form the ledge above us.  
  
"Sorry Robin. We will be down in a second friend, for Robin and I must untangle."  
  
I snorted, "What were you guys doing that would get you tangled up?" I asked. There was a silence.  
  
"I don't want to know." Raven murmured, shaking the bush Cyborg was in.  
  
"Yeah Raven, I know! I know!" Cyborg stumbled out of the bush, pulling twigs and leaves out of his gears. The human part of him looked scratched, while the metal part of him gleamed, catching any ray of light.  
  
"Well have to wait for Star and Robin," I said seriously, "They got tangled." Cyborg laughed a deep voiced laugh. It felt good to hear him laugh; I hope he's not mad anymore.  
  
"We have arrived friends!" Star landed lightly on the ground as Robin skidded down the steep wall.  
  
"Friend Naomi?" Starfire looked to me, "What did malevolence Jinx suggest when she alleged that she wished to be "prison bunnies" with my sister?"  
  
"It means she...." I looked to Cyborg, who shrugged on massive shoulder, "That....she.... has an infatuation with your sister."  
  
"What?!?!" Starfire yelped, jumping back, "Unacceptable!! I....I have been insulted! My family has been _disgraced_! No fowl of a being shall long to bunny with my sister! This insult shall not go un-avenged!"  
  
"Ok! _Ok_, Star we belie you!!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in fount of me.  
  
"I am so sorry!" Beastboy came hurling out of the darkness, colliding with Cyborg, who didn't even shift as Beastboy bounced of him and sprawled to the ground.  
  
"Beastboy, where were you! You were look out!" Robin demanded, bending over Beastboy who struggled to his feet.  
  
"I know! I know! I'm sorry! I couldn't land and use my communicator. I saw them coming, but I couldn't land." He looked to the ground.  
  
"We need a new look out." I whispered to Raven.  
  
"What the hell!!" Beastboy cried defensively, "I did the best I could under night conditions, ok?!?!"  
  
"And what a_ fine_ job you did," I replied dryly.  
  
"Like you've never messed up! I can name a million things you've fucked up!"  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Yeah, remember when you-"  
  
"Friends!! Please!" Starfire cried out, covering her face with her hands, "I have already suffered from insultmeant. I do not need the mean talking of friends to adjoin."  
  
Beastboy looked to her in mild concern,  
  
"How you been insulted?" His grammar is utterly atrocious.  
  
"Jinx has got the hotts for Blackfire," Raven replied bluntly.  
  
"Huh!" Beastboy breathed out a laughed, "Blackfire and Jinx's? That would be hot." _WHAT!?!?!_  
  
"Yeah, well you know what's even hotter?" I spluttered angrily.  
  
"What?" he practically yelled back. I yelled back the first male name that came to my mind.  
  
"Nacht!!"  
  
"What!?!?! Nacht!?!? He's so-"  
  
"Sexy!" I interrupted, enjoying the indignant look on his face.  
  
"Hey! Hey hey hey! Calm down." Robin lifted up a hand between us, "I know tension is high, but we've got a mission to do. After it's all done, Star can get her revenge and Beastboy and Naomi can work out-"  
  
"Work what out?" I asked hotly, "As far as I'm concerned, there's noting left to work with. It's so totally over."  
  
Beastboy nodded his head up and down in agreement. I won't lie, that hurt a little. But...just a little.  
  
"I'm going to...work on the doors." Cyborg said slowly, backing up towards the rock wall.  
  
"Me too." I replied as Star said, "Me as well."  
  
Starfire lifted one hand, green light erupting around it to give light to Cyborg. I reached out, and loosened the hinged rock as Jinx had done, underneath an iris identifier.  
  
"How do we get past it?" I asked, making sure to look extremely involved and interested in case Beastboy was looking.  
  
"Well," Cyborg hooked a wire from his arm to the panel on the rock, "Basically, all computers are codes. All codes made up of zeros and ones. Give it the code, and it'll give you anything you want." He stared pressing buttons on his keypad on his arm.  
  
"People think that computers are high-tech, but there actually really stupid. Ready to give anything to anyone who has the code. Artificial intelligence is a bitch." He smiled as he pressed the last button.  
  
The iris identifier made a clicking noise as the canyon started to tremble. The rock plates slide to the side again, reveling the heavy metal doors.  
  
"We need to split up," Robin said, looking down the reservoir.  
  
"What?" I asked, "Were about to go inside Slade's hide out.....and you want us to split up."  
  
"Yeah.....Me Cyborg and Beastboy can search the reservoir for the hydraulic transfer, you know, to cut off the power to this place."  
  
That's weird, I thought Robin would go gung ho to go after Slade, now he just wants to do side work?  
  
"Right, girls inside, boys outside." Nobody moved. Robin looked to us strangely. "I said girls inside, boy's outside."  
  
"I know," I rocked back and forth on my heels. Robin smiled in realization,  
  
"Oh sorry, Titans go!"  
  
"There we go," I said, walking toward the open door. Starfire scrambled behind me while Raven took her time.  
  
"Bye boys" Starfire called as the doors shut behind us. I looked down the metal tunnel, something seemed so sinister about it, but I don't know what.  
  
Maybe because I knew Slade was at the end. Ha, the most evil man I have ever known is the light at the end of the tunnel. How comforting.  
  
I looked to Raven who looked to Starfire who looked to me.  
  
"You ready?"  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"Dose it matter?"  
  
I nodded and started walking. Starfire darted up right behind me, not wanting to lead or be the last. Poor Star. She's freaking out. We crept quietly down the tunnel, not daring to talk.  
  
"I see something ahead," Starfire whispered, stepping on my heels.  
  
"Star, you don't have to walk that close."  
  
"My apologies, but I do see something in advance." I looked up, and to my dismay, the tunnel split into two separate tunnels.  
  
"Someone has to go alone," Raven murmured as we stopped in front of the intersection.  
  
"No! Friends, we must not allow ourselves to get separated from one another!" Starfire insisted, grabbing my and Ravens hands. Me standing on one side of Star while Raven stood on the other side of her.  
  
For a moment, we just stood there, looking down the tunnels, linked by our hands...and maybe something more. I giggled softly.  
  
"What?" Raven asked, tilting her head back to look at me from beside Starfire.  
  
"We really do look like the Powerpuff girls."  
  
They both stared at me.  
  
"Remember? Our costumes for Halloween."  
  
"Oh, I remember," Raven rolled her eyes in disgust.  
  
"Oh yeah, we are the Powdpuff girls," Starfire giggled.  
  
"No Star, POWERpuff. No d."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Its all good, easy mistake." I started giggling nervously, feeling quite unable to stop, "And mammoth could be Mojo Jojo." Nervous giggle. "And guys could be the.... what were they called? Rowdyruff? I don't know. Jinx could be that spoiled little girl.... the princess. I never really watched the show. And Ice and his gang could be the greenish looking people. And-"  
  
"Naomi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you scared?"  
  
"Of course! Why do you think I'm babbling about the Powerpuff girls? I'm pissing my pants!!"  
  
Starfire looked even more uncertain now. Her expression translated to –shit, if Naomi's scared, something bad is going to happen.  
  
"I'll go alone," I mumbled, looking down the tunnel.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I'll go alone!"  
  
"Oh no! Friend you mustn't!" Starfire cried out, while Raven nodded her head in agreement with my decision.  
  
"Raven! Discontinue you cranium gesture of agreement! We must not-"  
  
"Naomi can do it." I looked to Raven, who gave me a small halve smile. I wanted to hug her, but that truly would have been suicidal.  
  
"Starfire Raven go left. I go right. This mission is search and destroys. After we get Roni.... crash this place."  
  
"Goodbye Bubbles." Starfire murmured as she and Raven disappeared into one tunnel.  
  
"Come on Star." Raven murmured, pushing her along.  
  
"No, participate along with me! I am Buttercup!"  
  
"No, I'm supposedly Buttercup remember? Your supposedly Blossom."  
  
"I disagree, Buttercup wore a green dress, am I not mistaken? And Blossoms are flowers. Flowers are shrubbery and shrubbery is green!"  
  
I smiled as Starfire's voice echoed away, but then, I was left feeling incomplete. I tried to call goodbye to them, but my voice was chocked for some reason.  
  
Oh, I remember, I was piss my pants scared.  
  
Imagine, the most feared man in history since Hitler. Now imaging being in his hose. Now imagine him being home and you are on his shit list. Now imagine him with lethal weapons. This is defiantly not my happy place.  
  
I took a deep breath, and started down the tunnel. The florescent lights flickered as they cast their dirty looking glow down the tunnel.  
  
I walked for a little while, then came the doors. The hall suddenly had two endless rows of doors. This must be the dormitory or something. I stopped, hearing footsteps ahead. I darted ahead, thinking it might be Starfire or Raven. But it was neither. I instead saw the blue back of Nacht. I gasped and dashed back around a corner.  
  
"Hello?" Nacht called, looking around. Damn! He had heard me! I leaned against corner, praying he wouldn't retrace his footstep.  
  
"My imagination?" he mused aloud to himself, then continued walking. Should I trail him?  
  
Well duh.  
  
I crept quietly behind him, always staying a corner behind. Then, the footsteps stopped. I peeked around the bend of wall. He was standing at one of the doors, with his towel draped over one shoulder.  
  
His long hair was still wet, and sending trickles of water down his cheeks, and into his eyes. He brushed the water out of his face as he pulled a small key out of his bathing suit pocket. He wiped more water off his face and slid the key into the keyhole, and turned it, but the door didn't open.  
  
"Opps" he smiled at himself and turned the key the other way. This time the lock clicked and he pushed open the door.  
  
"Nich? HEY Nich!" Gizmo came darting up the hall, not mine thankfully.  
  
"Nacht," he corrected coolly, standing in the doorway of his room.  
  
"Whatever, Jinx wants you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Shut up and come, it's important."  
  
Nacht shrugged, and followed Gizmo further down the hall. Leaving Nacht's door wide open. Without thinking, I darted down the hall, jumped into Nacht's room. There had to be something here that can tell me where Roni is. My poor paparazzi princess.  
  
I was expecting the room to be a dump, and to smell like rancid baloney, it being a guy's room after all. I was quite surprised when it was just the opposite.  
  
The beige carpet was vacuumed, and smelled faintly like.... guy's cologne. The spotless white comforter was covering the bed so smoothly; it looked like it had been ironed right on.  
  
For no reason, I touched the bed. A strange feeling washed over me. I hardly ever go into the guy's rooms in the tower, for my own mental health reasons, let alone touch there beds. I think this is probably the first time I have ever touched a guy's bed. It's.... just a weird feeling.  
  
I quickly withdrew my hand, and examined the surprisingly empty room. A desk, a dark blue recliner chair, and some dressers, and a closet. I walked over to the maple dresser. I needed a clue, any clue at all to where Roni is. I slid open the top drawer. Empty. Second drawer.  
  
Hmmm, some socks and some t-shirts all tucked away neatly. I pawed around, hoping to find something hidden. Hey, my fingers brushed something soft. I pulled it out.  
  
White silk.... boxers.  
  
Should I laugh or be grossed out? I started laughing. Weren't silk boxers used to make guys....never mind.  
  
Focus Naomi Focus!!  
  
I looked farther into the drawer. When I had pulled out the kinky boxers, I had surfaced something else. I reached in, and pulled out a small black booklet. I put the boxers on the top of the dresser, and held the small book in both hands.  
  
I tuned it over, on the front it had something written in gold letter, but I couldn't read it, it was in German...or jibberish. I shut the drawer, looking at the small book in interest.  
  
"Damn Jinx. Gizmo could have just told me that they wanted me to judge their stupid arm wrestling contest." Damn. Oh damn and a thousand fucks.  
  
I froze, standing at the drawer, like a deer standing in the middle of a street as a semi truck comes barreling up to it. I snatched the book and silk boxers.  
  
Hide Naomi hide!  
  
I wrenched open the closet and dove in, shutting the closet doors as quietly as I could.  
  
"Damn it," Nacht swore, as he shut the door to his room behind him. I pressed my eye up to the crack in the closet, between the two doors.  
  
Nacht tossed his towel on his bed, yawning. He took his room key and put it on his desk as he made his way towards his dresser.  
  
I looked down the small book and silky boxers clucked in my fist. Oh god. I hope he's not in the reading mood tonight....or a kinky mood.  
  
He opened up the second drawer of his dresser, rummaging around.  
  
Please oh please don't notice.... Don't notice.  
  
He pulled out a black article of clothing and a pair of white socks. I almost cried out in relief, but silenced myself. He tossed his black whatever it was and his socks on his chair, and picked up the towel from his bed.  
  
He draped it over his head and rubbed vigorously, to get the wet out. As he lifted the towel off his head, his hair stood up in every direction. He leaned to the left, to look at himself in a small mirror he kept beside his desk. He laughed at his reflection, and brushed his hair down with his fingers. He nodded his approval, then his hands when down to his swimming suit.  
  
What's he doing? Hey....hey! What the....oh god. He's undressing. My eyes widened so much it hurt.  
  
Naomi is in a bad spot. Not only is she about to witness nudity, but she is talking in third person.  
  
I squeezed my eyes shut, but for some reason, curiosity worked like little fingers that kept trying to pry my eyes open.  
  
Naomi! Pervert! Don't watch him strip! Shut your eyes young lady!  
  
But at the same time, I felt strangely curious. I would never admit this to anyone, but I had never really seen....a naked guy before. It's not like I go out of my way for god's sake!!!  
  
I mean, sure you type something completely innocent on an internet search and then your search ends up like: WOW!! OK!! THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOATS!! I mean, sure I've seen that. But not up close.  
  
I argued with myself, debating if I would be a sick-o to take a peek that I almost didn't notice that he was fully dressed.  
  
Relief washed over me, but I couldn't help but think, Damn, I miss everything.  
  
Nacht was wearing his uniform I suppose, a black body suit, not a full body one, it stopped at the knees, but went down the arms. He was crawling around on his hands and knees, obviously looking for something.  
  
"Shoes?" he asked as if he was asking a question. Shoes? I looked down, and saw a pair of back army boots at my feet.  
  
I'm cursed, there's no other logical explanation.  
  
"Oh!" Nacht laughed, remembering where he had left his boots. He scrambled to his feet and walked over to the closet. Oh shit. I shoved the boxers and book in my pockets so I could pick up the boots. Nacht placed his hands on the closet knobs, and right as he opened the door, I chucked the boot at his face.  
  
He stumbled back, clutching his left cheek, which was turning red. He looked to the ground and saw his boot. The look on his face was unforgettable. I would have laughed it wasn't such a bad situation.  
  
He poked the boot cautiously, as if he expected it to attack him again. He straightened up, throwing open the closet door.  
  
I shrieked and chucked the other boot at him, and while he was stunned, I shoved past him, knocking him to the ground. I didn't look back, I wrenched open the door, and flew out, not bothering to shut it behind me. I raced down the hall, running my full stride. I flew around the corner, almost running into a very surprised Jinx.  
  
She gasped in surprise as I carelessly shoved her out of the way, knocking her rather hard into the wall and kept running.  
  
"What the fuck? Hey! It's that blonde! Gizmo, alert Slade. We have situation 532!!" Damn her.  
  
Suddenly an alert siren started waling over the intercom and red lights flashed everywhere. I need to hide. I ran further down the hall, knocking random people out of my way.  
  
Hide. Need to hide.  
  
I looked ahead. There were two double doors. I skidded to a stop, throwing open the doors and locking them behind me. I sank to the floor, breathing harshly. I wiped the sweat of my forehead with the back of my hand, and then looked around. It was some sort of mess hall. There were small tables and chairs. The florescent lights from the tall ceiling glared down on me, flickering ominously.  
  
There was a crash, on of the chairs fell over. I gasped and jumped to my feet.  
  
"Whose there?" I tried to sound strong, but I was so out of breath, my voice shook terribly.  
  
Another chair fell over, this time on the other side of the room. But no one was here. I was alone.  
  
"Tired?" Nachts face was suddenly inches from mine. I jumped backwards in alarm, tripping over a chair behind me and falling to the floor. Then, he was gone. I tried to untangle my myself from the chair, yelling threats to Nacht.  
  
"Need help?" He was directly behind me, so close, his breath tickled my ear. I shrieked, and scrambled away from him.  
  
"Stop it! Stop popping out of no where!" I cried, finally to my feet. He stood up and gave me an innocent look.  
  
"But I've been here the whole time, I followed you in."  
  
My fear fled, and was replaced by curiosity.  
  
"What's your power?" He smiled, as if he had been waiting ages for me to ask.  
  
"Look," he stepped beside me, putting his hand in mine, "My skin...it is blue, is it not?" I nodded, feeling strange that I was holding his hand.  
  
"Blue is the neutral color of my skin."  
  
"So, you can change skin color?"  
  
"In a matter of speaking yes," He looked into my eyes, "You see my skin is special, it can absorb and reflect color from its surroundings, reflecting the exact same light surrounding it. You know?"  
  
I nodded, "Nope."  
  
He rolled his eyes, "Like camouflage."  
  
"Ohhh. Show me." He smiled, then was gone. He just, melted into his surroundings, but I was still holding his hand, I could still feel him. I squeezed his arm.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I know." Then I looked closer. I could still see him. The shadows on his face and body. I could see the shadow of his lips, and his nose, and from his hair.  
  
"I can still see you. I think your powers are busted." I said, looking at him. I saw the shadow from his teeth as he smiled.  
  
"No, not broken. As you can feel, I am still here. Shadows, they distort the illusion. That is why I travel mostly at night. No shadow."  
  
"So your completely invisible," I murmured.  
  
"Yes," he laughed as he made himself visible, "But I have a question...how long were you in my closet?"  
  
"Don't worry about that, where's Roni?" The smile slid off his face,  
  
"Yeah, about that..." I threw his hand out of mine.  
  
"Where is she?" I asked in a dangerous voice, "I've been playing nice this whole time; you don't want to see me get angry. My anger takes shape."  
  
"I promise, your little friend is not hurt. She...she thinks highly of you," He smiled, "She told, 'now Nacht, don't be too nice to me, or I'll feel bad when Naomi comes and beats the crap out of you.' She told me that every day she did."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"About three rooms away from here. The only thing is that I have to fight you" I stared at him,  
  
"Lets get this straight, whose side are you on?"  
  
"Slades." He replied bitterly, "Its my-"  
  
"Debt, I know."  
  
His expression brightened, "You, you talked with my grandmother? How is she?"  
  
I glared at him, "I am sorry, I don't associate with Slades bitches."  
  
"Fair enough." He lunged at me with out warning, trying to knock me to the ground, but at the same time, not really trying at all. I jumped out of the way.  
  
"Don't, don't you dare. Either give me all you got, or I swear...I swear I'll kill you." He looked to me in shock.  
  
"We are not friends; we are not anything but enemies while you are under Slade. Don't you dare go easy on me, because I will most defiantly not."  
  
He nodded, "Fine then." He melted away, the shadows of his body remaining.  
  
He lunged at me again, but I jumped on a table to avoid him, kicking him in the face. He tried to knock my legs out from under me, but I back flipped to the table behind me. He picked up a chair, and hurled it at me. Vines sprouted from my finger tips, deflecting the chair. I shot a blast of water at him, knocking him to the ground. I smiled, thinking I had won.  
  
Suddenly. The lights started to flicker, then....the room plunged into darkness. They boys...they must have cut off the hydraulic energy transfer. Shit.  
  
I looked wildly around the semi dark room, Nacht being completely invisible now.  
  
"I am so sorry," A voice whispered behind me. I chair hit me upside the head, knocking me off the table I was standing on. I feel backwards, crashing through a nearby table. I struggled to my feet, my lip bleeding freely.  
  
I have to fly....I have to be.... where he cannot.... reach. The blow to my head dazed my thinking. It felt almost like a dream as I floated up to the ceiling. But the blow to my head made me remember something.  
  
The rain. Nacht couldn't have caused it. Where did it come from? Was....it me?  
  
A splintered chunk of wood came out of no were, knocking me to the ground. I landed with a thud, with a severe cut on my arm. The wind was completely knocked out of me. I couldn't breath. I opened my mouth desperately, but my lungs were in a state of shock and couldn't suck in a breath. It was like being dead.  
  
Was it me? How did I do it?  
  
Suddenly my body seemed to wake up and I gasped my breath. Nacht pounced on me, yanking my piggy tail almost playfully.  
  
I punched up in the direction I hoped was his face, but I hit nothing.  
  
How did it rain?  
  
I jumped to my feet, finally kicking Nacht in the leg. I hope it was his leg.  
  
Rain is not my power. I can call and banish elements, but I really don't have that much control of them. I can't force the fire into a shape or design. You can't control it. It just burns.  
  
Nacht slammed me into the wall. A piercing pain filled my chest. I gasped out, doubled up in pain.  
  
"Please just leave." Nacht whispered in my ear, "At dawn, my debt will be paid. I will help you. We can save Roni together. I do not wish to fight you."  
  
"By morning....it could be to late. Slade and Roni would be gone by then."  
  
I leapt into the air.  
  
How? How? What had I been feeling when the rain had come? Another chair was hurled up at me, but I dodged it this time.  
  
I had been angry, duh....but also...afraid. So afraid. I paused. What if... I...had never thought of this before.  
  
I can control individual elements. But I had never thought of combining them. The four elements make up the world, as we know it. When you combine them, you get all the forces of nature.  
  
Vines shot out of the floor to bind him, but it was in vain. How can you catch something you can't see?  
  
Think! How do you make rain? Duh. You evaporate water. I nearly fell out the air as Nachts invisible fingers yanked on my foot, trying to bring me down. My eyes darted around, desperate for light.  
  
So, in the hotel room, I had felt anger, and fear. Anger at myself, and fear for Roni. Water plus fire equals.....rain.  
  
"Do you give up?" I called into the gloom, hoping for a yes.  
  
"You're not even fighting back," he called up to me, "You're making this really hard on me. You could at least.....Naomi? Are....you..... crying up there?"  
  
"No....it's not me." I breathed out in amazement, water trickling down my face. Then rail poured from the ceiling.  
  
"What the" Nacht seemed confused, even making himself visible to look up at me. I grinned and tilted my head back, letting the cool water trickle down my face, spluttering as I laughed.  
  
Its...amazing. Its such an amazing feeling to discover something inside you that you didn't know was there. So I laughed. I laughed while the water cried.  
  
"Damn," Nacht swore, going stealth once more. But it was in vain. I could easily see him now, the rain breaking around his body. I landed on the table, my shoes splashing softly.  
  
"Give up now?" I repeated, drenched from the rain.  
  
"I couldn't if I wanted to," Nacht whispered, the hollow break in the rain moving closer to me, "Go ahead, titan. Kick my ass."  
  
"What?" I asked, staring at the water trickling down the invisible solid.  
  
"It's like you said. I'm with Slade, you're a Titan. You won. Kick my ass. If you don't...I'll have to repay my debt all over again. Beat me, and I'll give you the password to Roni's room."  
  
I nodded slowly, feeling a heavy feeling in my heart.  
  
"You're really brave, you know that?" I whispered. He didn't answer.  
  
I silently rose into the air again, my head brushing the drizzling ceiling. I shut my eyes, and increased the rain. Now it shot the ground like bullets, stinging my cheeks.  
  
I heard Nacht splashing below me, the water steadily rising in the room. I looked down. Nacht was visible now, looking up at me, waiting.  
  
He looked like a beaten puppy. Looking up and waiting for more punishment. The water was at his chin now, and I decided to try another combination.  
  
Air....Water.....Happiness....sadness....Finding Roni....losing her.  
  
The pool of water began to churn below me. The water being spun onto a crushing spiral by the wind.  
  
A whirlpool.  
  
Nacht yelped as the current drug him under, as he splashed and spluttered, yelping as the tables and chairs splinted and snapped, beating him as the water churned.  
  
I leaned my head back, my arms spread as I willed water to spin.  
  
I smiled, the rain sliding over my teeth. It wanted until Nacht cried out that he was done, that I snapped back to reality, and lowered my arms, ceasing the spin.  
  
The water slowly drained, surfacing Nacht, who spluttered for air as he laid on the damp floor, coughing up water. I landed on the ground, the wet tiles squeaking as I knelt by Nacht exhausted body.  
  
"I think I win." I whispered, sweeping a few strands of dark blue hair out of his eyes.  
  
"I think so too," he gasped out, breathing harshly as he strained to sit up,  
  
"You win. The password is 47234." He fell back on the floor, closing his eyes.  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, looking at him in concern.  
  
"Yes, I just....need to rest. How...how did you do that anyway?"  
  
"I don't know myself," I replied, sighing, "But Nacht, seriosly. When I get Roni, this place is going down. Get out and as far away as possable as soon as you can."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Good." I stood up, shaking myself like a wet dog, water dripping from the tip of my pig tails. I stepped to the door, looking over my shoulder at the crumpled body that was Nacht.  
  
"Nacht, are you sure you can-"  
  
"Yes, I can. Just go. Save your little friend." I nodded, opening the door slowly.  
  
I peeked my head out. Empty. I slunk down the hall, counting three doors away from the mess hall. Here. The blue metal doors looked strong, to strong to just blast away. I need the code after all. I strained my memory, trying to remember.  
  
"Hey!" I whirled around, Jinx standing right behind me. She glared at me, her hands on her hips.  
  
"What. Are. You .Doing?" she scoffed, one word at a time, like she could not believe that I had the nerve to insult her so.  
  
"What. Dose. It. Look. Like. I'm. Doing?" I mimicked, widening my eyes to make fun of her ditzy ness, then I turned serious, "and if it's a fight you want, your out of your league."  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about? You can't run from bad luck."  
  
"No, but, you see, I have learned some new tricks. Nacht just got a full dose, and I think he'll tell you that it was not pleasant." She tried to sneer, but doubt clouded her eyes.  
  
"What do you mean, ya dumb blonde?" Oh hell no.  
  
I shut my eyes, concentrating.  
  
"What are you doing?" She sneered, sniggering at me. I didn't answer; I felt it coming, rushing down the hall, tearing apart everything in its path.  
  
"What...what are you doing?" She repeated, the fear rising in her voice, a crash farther down the hall causing her to jump. Two vines sprout from the wall, gently winding around my stomach and binding me to the wall so I wouldn't be swept away.  
  
I opened my eyes, and looked to Jinx, and waved goodbye. It was here.  
  
Like a barreling beast, the water crashed down the hall, a tidal wave at as tall as the ceiling. Jinx never got the opportunity to shriek, the wave knocked her off her feet, and dragged her along with it, crashing her body into walls as it swept her away. I had no time to gasp a breath; the wave was already upon me. IT came with such force, it knocked me off my feet, and tried to drag me along with it, but the vines held on to me.  
  
The wave yanked on me with such force, I was sure my body would be torn in halve. But it soon passed, thundering down the hall, engulfing anything it touched. I gasped for breath, as the vines withered away and I fell on my knees. I coughed up a lungful of water, and trying to breath at the same time. I finally dragged in a breath, water still trickling from my mouth.  
  
I pulled myself up to my feet, my knees shaking like rubber. My arms thrashed out, needing to hold something for support, but found nothing and I collapsed to the floor.  
  
I was exhausted. So utterly tired. My heart burned with every beat, my lungs ached with every breath.  
  
Roni. I shut my eyes. I have to save her. I can rest when she is safe. Only then can I rest.  
  
I rolled onto my stomach, using my arms to push myself up. I struggled to my feet, wiping the water out of my eyes. I looked to the door again.  
  
I searched it until I found a small number pad. What was the password? I thought for a moment. Oh yeah, 47234. I typed it in, hoping Roni was all right on the other side. The doors made a whooshing sound as they parted, allowing me entrance. I stepped inside; the first thing I noticed was Roni, sitting in the corner, her head in her knees.  
  
"Roni? Roni!" I opened my arms, expecting her to come running into them. She looked up, and I saw the terror in her eyes.  
  
"I wouldn't take a step closer if I was you," A cool voice murmured. I didn't even have to look in the other corner. I knew who it was.  
  
"What do you want with her?" I whispered. Then anger raged inside me. I whirled around to look Slade staring in the eye, "What the hell do you want with a twelve year old girl!?!?"  
  
"Shhh..." he hushed softly, the way you would quiet a baby. He was standing in the opposite corner to Roni, his fingers laced together in front of him.  
  
"Now girl, don't do anything stupid." I lunged full force at him. He raised his arm in front of him and propel me back, knocking me completely off the ground. My body collided with the wall, then to slid to the floor.  
  
I groaned, rubbing my head. Slade moved like a flash, suddenly beside Roni.  
  
"I warned you girl, I told you not to do anything stupid," His voice was deathly calm...like the air before a storm. He grabbed her, holding her head with one hand and her shoulders with his other. She started sobbing as he tightened his grasp on her.  
  
"Be stupid again, I'll break her neck, and you know I will." I dragged myself to my feet, my body to numb to feel the pain yet.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked, unable to tear my gaze away from Roni's tear stained cheeks.  
  
"How about...a trade." Slade suggested, tilting Roni's head to an angle, causing her to gasp out in pain.  
  
"What trade?!" I asked desperately, unable to bare Roni's expression.  
  
"A trade for the girl. You...for her. Your debt." This is why he kidnapped her. He wanted to bargen. My life for hers.  
  
'don't do it!!' Roni mouthed from Slade's clutches, 'don't do it! Don't!' I don't have to.  
  
"You...aren't keeping anything valuable in this little hidey hole, are you?" I asked thoughtfully, running my fingers down the wall of the room.  
  
"Nothing significant" Slade replied, his voice edging.  
  
"What about your life?" I glared at him, standing as straight as I could. He said nothing for a moment, and just started at me.  
  
"What are you saying?" He asked dangerously.  
  
"Its like I was telling Miss. Jinx a moment ago. I've learned some new tricks." I flexed my fingers, waiting for the perfect moment.  
  
"I will only ask you once more. What are you implying?" I suddenly became distant, my eyes staring off into space.  
  
"Funny things, tornados are. Did know, that a tornado can send one single strand of straw through a brick wall? It's true. Its amazing...just add some air and earth, and you have the most powerful force of nature..."  
  
I slowly lifted my eyes to the ceiling; a slight rumble ran through the walls.  
  
"Its coming," I whispered, as the rumble turned into a roar.  
  
Slade sat for a moment, debating what I had just told him. He leapt to his feet, throwing Roni at me before darting to the door. Roni collided into me, knocking us to the ground.  
  
"Roni!" I grabbed her in my arms, "Oh Roni, I am so sorry. I-"  
  
"Naomi!!" She shrieked over the roar of cracking cement and ripping metal, "we have to get out of here!!"  
  
The ceiling cracked, plaster raining down on us. I jumped to my feet, gesturing Roni to climb onto my back. She jumped on and I flew out of the room, a split second before the ceiling caved in.  
  
The howl was mind deafening, so loud, you couldn't hear it anymore. Roni's skinny arms clutched my neck as we rocked down the collapsing tunnel. I swerved around the bits of ceiling raining down, while trying to keep Roni on my back.  
  
Well what do you know? I am a fucking horse after all.  
  
A loud crack filled the air and the ceiling collapsed in front of us. Roni shrieked in my ear as I stopped abruptly, to avoid collided with the heap of plaster.  
  
"What do we do?!?" Roni cried over the thunder of the tornado. I looked around. The only way to go was up. I shot through the hole in the ceiling. Most of the ceilings were caved in now, so I just flew upwards, avoiding various objects raining down on me.  
  
I could see light ahead. Just another floor.  
  
Roni screamed, and she was yanked off my back! The tornado! It was right above us!  
  
"RONI!!" I screamed as the force of the tornado sucked her straight up into the air. I rocked up, reaching my hand out for hers. The force was so strong, it was all I could do to keep from being sucked up as well. With a spurt of speed, I grabbed Roni's hand and pulled her down to me.  
  
I hugged her close to my chest, looking up at the monster straight above me. The dark clouds whirled above me, sucking everything into its crushing spin. Pots, pans, pencils, bricks blasted past me, getting sucked straight up, feeding the tornado. The only way out is up.  
  
"Hang on Roni!!" I yelled down to her. I looked up, right inot the eye of the tornado...the only way out. I gripped Roni tightly, and shot straight up, right through the center of the spinning nightmare.  
  
The wind pulled at me from all sides, tying to yank me into the crush of the wind. I didn't look at it, I only looked straight up, and then...we were out. I exploded out of the cyclone with such speed tears ran down my face. I coasted down away from the tornado, but not daring to land. Roni shivered in my arm. I hugged her tightly.  
  
"Its ok...were out. It's ok." I looked to the dark funnel, eating and tearing at the ground below it.  
  
Suddenly...I remembered my dream. My fiery tornado dream.  
  
To burn...is to renew.  
  
With out thinking, I outstretched my hand, a single spark of anger skipping out, and falling into the tornado. It exploded with fire, no longer a dark cloud, but a raging blaze of spiraling fire.  
  
IT was almost pretty, I suppose it was. The smoke filled my lungs and throat. I shut my eyes, and the roar hushed to a whisper. I looked and saw a few flames spinning, then disappear into smoke. I looked down at the world below me. Destruction.  
  
The ground was scorched, looking like a scar in the skin of the earth. Roni peeked out over my arms and gasped at the sight. We gently floated down, in aw at the obliteration.  
  
I landed in a three foot pile of ash, dropping Roni gently to the ground. The land was smoking, and I felt the heat rising through my boots. Melted iron bars were bowed over me, still dripping white hot melted iron.  
  
"Naomi? Naomi!!" Robin came plunging through the banks of ash, reaching out to me. "You did it! I can't believe it!"  
  
He wrapped his arms around me, shaking me slightly, "How did you...the tornado! It..it...WOW!!" I pushed him off me.  
  
"It's a new trick I picked up. No big."  
  
"No big?" Cyborg roared happily, hugging me from behind, "That was the coolest shit I've ever seen!"  
  
Where'd he come from?  
  
"Naomi!" Starfire shot straight down at me from the air, knocking me down in a hug. Clouds of dust erupting up. I looked to Starfires sooty face, her eyes gleaming with horror, and joy.  
  
Starfire was pulled off of me by Raven, who yanked me roughly to my feet and hugged me. Actually hugged me.  
  
"If you ever pull shit like that again, I will rip your head off," she whispered in my ear. She pulled back, looking slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Naomi did it!!" Roni cried out, pointing at me, "She saved the day!!" She giggled and tumbled back into an ash bank, waving her arms and legs to make an ash angel.  
  
I smiled while Roni played in the powder, as if it were snow. Cyborg, being the manly man that he is, didn't hug me, but shook my hand. I told him to fuck off and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Hey!" I stood on my tip toes to look over Cyborgs massive shoulder. Beastboy was supporting Nacht, who was hobbling over the debrey. We all jogged over to the, Nacht unable to stand anymore.  
  
"Aren't you with Slade?" I asked, smiling at his dirty face. He shook his head,  
  
"Look." He pointed his finger to the glowing horizon.  
  
"It is dawn." 


	17. Letters to you

**Authors note: boogalaga was absolutely right. I do need to include an epilogue before I end the story. **

_Dear mom and dad._

_How are you? I am doing fine._

I paused, and chewed absentmindedly on the eraser on the end of my pencil.

_Nacht left for Germany a few weeks ago to be with his grandmother. We begged him to move to America and join the team, but he said he needed to "live his life". Whatever that means. But him and I have been writing letters and keeping in touch, writing letters and such._

I have just recently taken up on writing my parents. Yeah, its weird, them being sorta dead and all, but it's a nice way to vent my emotions. I have an entire notebook of letters to them. I guess it's kinda like a diary.

_But he didn't leave before the party. It was so awesome. Everyone threw a suprise party for me! I guess it was like a "sorry you had a night of hell" party. But anyway, it was like the morning after we ambushed Slades hide out, and I walked into the living room and theirs balloons and streamers everywhere. I looked around confisedly and was like,_

_"What the hell is this?"_

_And Bret and started shrieking_

_"HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAOMI!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAOMI!!!"_

_And Nikki went crazy yelling,_

_"I told you its not here birthday!!! It's a thanks for saving the world a lot party! If you cant get it right leave!" Lol._

_Oh speaking of Nikki, you wont believe it. She and our friendly metal giant are a couple. No joke. Cyborg oogaled at her the entire party. I thought his eye was going to fall out of his head. She wasn't to keen on him at first, but she came around. They are the cutest couple, especially because she's so short and Cyborgs so tall. It's so funny; she has to stand on her tippy toes to hold hands with him. And its especially funny when they try to kiss, Cy has to basically pick her up. I don't know if she has heard the rumor about Cyborg'....cannon..... but I am not going to tell her. No, that is not a Naomi conversation._

I swore as I bit down on the erase to hard and accidentally bit it off. I spite the pink stub over the side of the bed and continued my writing.

_Speaking of love, Beastboy and I made up yesterday. I wont go into it, but lets just say he was like a little puppy begging, and I count stay mad at him. Especially when he baked me cokies._

I stared at my spelling mistake on cookies. Damn, now I wish I had my eraser. I scribbled out cokies and replaced it with cookies.

_My new powers are so awesome, but its sucks because now that Slades gone, there are hardly any crimes. I was so anxious at first to try out my powers, that when I caught someone parking next to a fire hydrant (which is illegal I will ad for my defense), I caused a tornado to tear up halve a mine of street._

_Yeah that was bad. Robins whole face turned red and he grabbed me and started shaking me on the city news and yelling. He was like_

_"What the hell were you think!?!?! Were you even thinking?!?! Do you EVER think!?!?! You just caused halve a billion dollars in damage!!! What are people going to think!?!" Then I said calmly,_

_"People are going to think that it is illegal to park next to a fire hydrant."_

_Then he started at me and busted up laughing. What a weenie._

A cool breeze from the always-open window stirred my paper and blew a few strands of my light blond hair on my face. The cool breeze reminded me of something.

_And Ice? Who knows about that one. He split after Slades hideout went down. I think he's a little worried about what I can do nowâ€I think everyone is.. But he did leave me a note before he left. It said._

_"You be putting Ice out of a job chere."_

_And that was that. Haven't heard from him in a while now. A few witnesses say he was spotted in Paris, icing over some sort of fancy pastry shop. Maybe he's just on vacation. And if he gets back he'll probably hit on me for old times sake. Then I'll kick his ass to prison for old times sake._

_Lol, little Roni's still my number one fanâ€. she snapped a hundred pictures of when Slades hideout when ka-blewy, and their all over the news. She's even been offered a job as an official paparazzi, but those damn child labor laws are a bitch._

_Were still working on the alarm clock girl. Dr. Get (some hot shot scientist) actually thinks that there was a warp in time or something when little Naomi visited me. I wonder if I caused it by coming to this time. I don't know how it happened, but I know something big is going to happen soon. Who knows? Time is a funny thing, anything can happen._

I lifted my head, hearing Starfire calling my name and that it was time for dinner. I replied that I'd be down in a second.

_Well, I have to go now. Dinners on._

_I love you._

I put my pencil to the paper and was about to write love Naomi, and then I thought of something. Something from a long time ago....

_Love,_

_Sarine_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

StArRy1233- yes ladies and gentlemen. It is over now. I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted. It was so much fun to write, but all things come to an end.

And the name she singed at the bottom of her letter, that's her real name. Remember at the very being of the story she decides she doesn't want her old name, and chooses Naomi? Well, I was planning from the very first chapter to end my very last with her real name.

With the clock girl, I actually did have a huge ending planed for it, unfortunately I wont be able to, so I stopped to story right before it was about to happen.

I have been getting so many reviews telling me to continue, but I just don't have the inspiration to. I am sorry. My life is so crazy right now, that I cant handle it. I want to thank each and every one of you who read, reviewed or even glanced at my story. I hope it was fun while it lasted, but I have to move on with other things now. Maybe someday I will start it up again.

I love you all, and I would be so happy if you all could reread my earlier chapters. Even if you're not a re-reader, it still would mean a lot to me.

Thanks to all of you who showed your support. I wont forget how nice it felt to have my story complemented, and I hope every one of you the best of luck.


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